


Lover Released

by JB Arrow (hoping4more)



Category: Black Dagger Brotherhood - J. R. Ward
Genre: BDB, F/F, F/M, Gen, Lessers, M/M, Multi, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-13
Updated: 2015-08-01
Packaged: 2017-10-31 03:13:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 123,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/339240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoping4more/pseuds/JB%20Arrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the future outskirts of Caldwell, this Black Dagger Brotherhood fanfic follows four Warriors in Training as they go through their transitions and uncover a plot to take down the Brotherhood from the inside.</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=11h4hgn"></a><img/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note:  
> I love the world and characters that J.R. created in her series, and they stay with me long after I finish the last page of her books. I wrote this story when my own characters formed in her world and I had to tell their story. This story is definitely paranormal romance, so be forewarned, there will be racy scenes. I'd love feedback. R&R please! *Note: I started this fanfic in 2010 and tried my best to stay true to the BDB storyline; that said, I finished this story before she completed the series (and before the side series existed, which I found really fun as it is similar) so there may end up being discrepancies.

Tehrrify sat looking over the edge of the mansions roof. The previous day's rain was lingering in the air. The buds on the night-blooming rosebushes, sweet evidence that summer was on its way. She breathed it in deep, taking in all the new smells, and loving how the air caressed her exposed skin. She turned to look at her surroundings. The space she was in, though small, was full of a lifetime of memories. She had first found the hideaway with her best friends, Mel and Dhayn, while playing a game of hide-and-seek almost twenty years ago. It was a flat span of roof that covered what used to be a small courtyard. The room, designed to bring sunlight into the innermost rooms of the six thousand square foot mansion, was one of the first things to be converted when the Brotherhood purchased the property. Sunlight and vampires didn’t end well. What was sure to have once been a beautiful feature and focal point was now being used as a storage room.

After climbing some latticework and stumbling upon the secluded ten by ten area, with all the privacy a youngling could want, and a panoramic view of the gardens, they claimed it as their secret getaway and started to move furniture up there. Well, they asked the doggen to furnish it; they were around five at the time. The doggen had also installed a proper ladder at their parents' request.

"Hey Mel, doesn't it seem like just yesterday when we found this place?" Tehrrify asked, turning to face Mehlisha who was perched on the wicker chaise painting her toenails a wicked red.

She looked up, her bronze eyes smiling as she put the cap back on the small bottle. She tucked a stray brown hair that had fallen out of her ponytail back into place and grinned.

"I never would have found you two if it weren't for Tara giggling so much. Tell me, was it really just tickling going on up here?" Mel teased, earning a pillow to the face from Dhaynger who was sitting on the matching couch next to her. 

"Ow" she laughed, "hey watch it Dhayn, if you mess up my pedi I will end you!" Mel shrieked.

"Your what-e?" Dhaynger asked, a look of utter cluelessness on his face. Both girls burst out laughing.

"Her nails genius," Tara said between giggles.

"Well fuck, why didn't you just say nails? Females are so..." he left that one hanging when he got the death stare from both girls.

"Are so what, D?" Tara asked, egging him on with what she hoped was a fierce look in her sapphire eyes. Dhayn diverted his gaze to Mehlisha, who wore a smirk and cocked one eyebrow in question. Tara watched his reaction flicker as she crouched forward ready to spring.

With a smile of his own he said, "What am I supposed to be scared now? News flash, I may not have gone through my transition but I'm still a male."

Mehlisha growled from her perch. "And what's _that_ supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"That I'm bigger and stronger than you _females_ ," he said with a teasing grin. Tara leapt forward and landed on him with pillows in hand and began pelting him with the plush weapons, adrenalin kicking in and making her muscles, the little she had anyway, come alive. Within seconds however he had her pinned beneath him, smirk still in place. His short black hair was disheveled, and his eyes—one blue and one green—were alight with mischief. She could feel the pressure he was using on her hips and wrists to keep her down, and wondered fleetingly why it didn't bother her? Why she kind of liked it? 

"As I was saying..." He was cut off by Mel's attack from behind. She moved with such speed and grace, Tara had to wonder how fast she was going to be post-trans.

"You may be stronger, but Mel's faster,” Tara teased.

"And Tara has got you beat in the brains department,” Mel pointed out as she avoided another pillow missile from Dhayn. "Just face it D, you've got nothing but muscle on us,” Mel said with her hands on her slender hips. 

Tara gazed over at her other half - that's how she had always thought of Mel, not just a friend, but just as much a part of herself as her own two feet. Although they share the same hair color, brown, the similarities ended there. Mehlisha was model gorgeous. Long, wavy chestnut hair pulled back from her pixie-like face. She had pouty lips, a narrow nose and perfectly shaped eyebrows that framed eyes the color of polished bronze. She was a picture of beauty. Her pre-trans body was small and lean, like most other vampires their age, but she carried herself as though she already had the curves that would come with the change. _She is going to be a knockout,_ Tara thought, sighing. The noise brought Mel's eyes up to meet to hers. The connection was instant, their eyes locking them in a trance, the link that they had always shared rearing its head once again. Mel reassured Tara with a knowing smile, easing her self-conscious fears without even a word.

At that moment, the music that had been playing in the background cut off. Tara became aware of the silence and snapped out of it. _How long was I standing there staring?_ Tara thought. She turned quickly to look at Dhayn. His face mirrored that of the females. She would have been embarrassed if it were anyone else, but not Dhayn. If Mel was her other half than D was like the skin that kept them together. And both Tara and Mel had a close connection with him too. What a strange trio they were, but none would change a thing.

.........

Snapping out of one of their weird, trapped in time moments, Mel ran over to the stereo to pick some new tunes. She settled on a dance playlist, wanting something a little more fun. They only had about another hour or so before sunrise forced them back into the real world so she pulled D and Tara away from the toppled furniture and started to sway to the beats. They began to move together, a well-oiled machine, twisting and turning and melding into each other. Mel loved to dance, the feel of the music and the way their bodies were controlled by it. Tara was behind Mel shaking her thing and D was facing Mel, a hand resting on her hip as they moved to the rhythm of the song.

Mel looked into his mismatched eyes as she sang along. Being in the bloodline of Quinn he got the trademark eyes, once a curse, now the mark of a warrior. Well, in his case a potential one. Dhaynger was only a bit taller than the girls, around five foot six and like all vampires their age, waiting for the muscles to come.

Dear Virgin in the fade how she hated the waiting, even more now that it was imminent, hanging over their heads, all they could think about. _Well, almost all._ She thought smiling, as she spun away to look her friends up and down. Would their relationship change after it happened? She couldn't take losing either of them. They meant too much to her.

The thing that worried her most was what the change would mean to Dhayn. When he came out of it hungry and horny like all males do, who would he pick? Would he go for Tara or Mel, or maybe a stranger? _Virgin protect that unlucky female. It's one thing if he chooses Tara, I would never hurt her. But anyone else..._ She clenched her teeth, seething at the thought of another female laying their hands on Dhayn. She was brought out of her murderous reverie by Tara taking her hand and spinning her around. _Face it, you're going to kill whoever tries to take her away too, either way you're headed down a dangerous road._ She lectured herself. Maybe if she mentally prepared herself for the inevitable, then she'd be able to cope when it hit her in the face. _In the heart is more like it._ She thought with a frown.

The songs kept changing and so did they, Tara taking the middle, the icing in the Oreo. Mel moved with her, with them, loving the connection brewing between them. She let her worries fade and just enjoyed the moment, until the alarm went off warning them to get inside. Groaning, they consented and grabbed their things. Mel packed up her music and nail polish, Tara grabbed her tablet, and Dhayn pocketed his portable game thing. The amount of time he spent playing on that thing was just wrong. They left the mess; as they did every night, the doggen loved a good pillow fight, the more stuff to clean the better. Mel still didn't get it; she'd come to accept it, but WTF? _Ug, cleaning._ She shuddered at the thought.

.........

Dhaynger turned off his TV, ready for sleep to take him. Fighting games were his outlet during the breaks from training with the brotherhood. He did much better in the virtual world than in the real one. But, thankfully, not for much longer. _Soon you'll be ripped and huge and be hung like a horse_ he thought to himself. It was his daily mantra, focusing on the promise of the future helped keep his mind off of how much he hated being stuck in his body.

The phone next to the bed started ringing. He reached over and scooped it up. "Hello Darling, miss me already?" he teased, knowing fully well who would be on the other end of the line.

"You wish" came Tara's voice, over Mel who just said, "Shut up and listen."

"Ouch. Where's the love?" Dhayn sat up against his headboard, loving the sound of Tara's laugh in his ear. _Just like a youngling tonight_ he mused. Tara had a thing with laughs, she liked to try different ones out. It was a cute little quirk that D loved about Tara. He knew her real laugh though, she'd let it slip a few times over the years and it was beautiful in its unpolished joy.

"Oh you know we love you Dhayn," Tara said in a singsong voice. He smiled and then frowned thinking, _if only that were true._ He knew how he felt about his girls, and was pretty sure they only saw him as the scrawny best friend, and nothing more. He wanted more.

Mel cleared her throat. "As I was saying, shut up. Do you want to come to the movies with us tomorrow night? We only have two more nights off and I need to get out!" she begged.

"What's playing" D asked, knowing full well that it didn't matter, he'd go anywhere they asked him to, do anything for them, _his girls_.

"We're going to see that new superhero movie, the one with that guy from that other movie about that super virus." Tara said. She was always terrible with details, but D knew which one she meant.

"Sounds good. What time should I pick you up?" he joked.

"We can go after first meal, but we'll have to hurry 'cause you know I hate to miss the previews." Mel was dead serious about her movie rituals. He never understood her crazy rush to get to the theater. With trailers he could take 'em or leave 'em. It's not like they wouldn't see them on TV eventually anyway.

"Ooh maybe we'll get to see the new James Bond trailer." Tara piped up from farther away. They must have him on speaker.

"OK I'll be ready" D promised. "Where are you two?" Sounds of teeth being brushed came through the line.

"In my room. Slumber party" Tara said in a muffled voice. D could just picture her with a toothbrush hanging out of her mouth. He heard her rinse and then a door shut, Mel using the washroom no doubt.

"What, and I'm not invited? What happened to all that 'we love you' talk?" he teased. They all knew Tara's dad would kill him if he tried a stunt like that again. He had made it very clear when they were in their teens that; impotent or not, no male was to sleep in his daughter's bed. Sure they were adults now, but you don't want to piss a Brother off.

"I'll sleep with you tomorrow sugar," Tara said in a horrible southern accent.

"Mmm sounds like a date" D said with a grin. They both knew she wouldn't, but he liked this game. "What will you wear?" he asked. "So I can coordinate of course."

"It's getting rather hot these days, if you don't mind I'd rather not wear anything at all," she replied, dropping the accent. D really liked this game. His useless cock stayed limp as ever but heat flared in his chest at just the thought of being with her.

"Oh not at all, I agree. I should warn you though, that I move around a lot in my sleep. So if I should slowly trace my fingers all over you, it is definitely not intentional," D said trying his best to sound sexy, and failing no doubt. There was a long pause on the other end of the line. D started to think that maybe he had taken it too far this time, or that maybe he had won their little game, for once. Which of course was pretty much the same result, kind of a 'who will get the last word' type of thing. Basically a thinly veiled excuse to flirt, and D loved it.

"You're such a tease D. What are you going to do once we all go through the change and you don't have that excuse anymore? Are you going to go through with any of these little plans you tease me with?" she asked.

Did she want him to say yes? He considered for a few seconds and replied, "I'm going to fuck you until you scream and then make you watch while I do the same to Mel." There was a small gasp on the other end of the phone. _Holy shit did I just say that out loud?_ Sure that's what he wanted to do, to claim them both - it was all he thought about while he lay in bed waiting for sleep to come, but he always kept that shit to himself. Tara was still on the phone so he covered quickly. "Nice, speechless, looks like I win this round sweet cheeks." D could hear the bathroom door open and then the rustling of sheets. Tara still hadn't said anything. _Shit now you've done it. Great fucking job scaring her off,_ he thought.

"Hey D?" Tara's voice was still a little lower than usual as she finally spoke.

"Yeah?" he replied

"Thanks for the visual. I'll have to tell Mel all about it." He could hear the smile in her voice. "Oh and D?"

"Yeah?" he said again. One-word answers were much safer.

"It's already pretty hot in my room, and Mel likes to coordinate too. Sweet dreams," she said slowly, and then she hung up.

Damn it she won, again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**  
**

Mel was dreaming. She knew this because she was flying through a starlit sky in someone's arms. The trio had rented vintage Superman the night before and this was right out of one of the scenes, only it wasn't superman who held her, it was Dhaynger. She looked into his eyes and licked her lips as he leaned in to kiss them.

Mel sat up in bed with a shot, dragged out of her dream by her alarm. _Great, right out of a dream and into a nightmare._ She groaned inwardly. It was the first night back at the training center.

She dragged herself out of bed and over to her closet. Pulling on her black nylon sweats and a pair of black shit-kickers she headed down stairs for first meal. Passing her parents room on the way down the west corridor she could already hear her father Krym getting ready to go out patrolling. His shifts were every-other night with Tara's father Thrett. The two had been partners since before the females were born. They fought all the time but they were inseparable. _It's no wonder Tara and I bicker the way we do, it runs in the blood,_ she mused.

Mel smiled to herself thinking of her best friend. She shared things with that female that no other soul knew about, there was nothing that she couldn't tell her, nothing she wouldn't do for her. _Except tell her how you feel,_ Mel's inner voice pointed out. Yes, that was one thing that she was keeping from her, but that was to protect their friendship. If Tara ever found out how Mel felt about her, about Dhayn too, their friendship would be over. All of their closeness would be replaced by awkward tension. No more all night rooftop dancing, or all day movie-marathons, there would be no more sleepovers for sure. _Either that or she'd feel the same way and you'd have very different types of sleepovers._ Her inner voice chimed in again. _Now that's something to think about...Virgin, you're screwed up Mel._

"What are you smiling about?" Dhayn asked as he joined her at the top of the main staircase.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Mel's smile vanished as she swallowed back fear. Yeah no one could find out. It's better to be just friends than lose either one of them. _Suffer in silence, that's my motto,_ she thought with a smirk. Maybe one day she'd mate a great male who would make her feelings toward her friends somewhat normal.

"No really, penny for your thoughts? I'm having a horrible night so far, I could use a little of whatever is going on in your head. What are you thinking about?" He asked sullenly. Mel really looked at D for the first time, and he did look down.

"Just thinking about my future mate," she said honestly. "He's going to straighten out my life that's for sure," she added with a smile at her phrasing. Dhayn looked taken off guard.

"Anyone in mind?" he asked covering his shock with a wicked grin and wagging brow.

"Oh you know, tall dark and handsome," she teased, "and a fighter." Mel didn't understand the look on his face, she decided to steer the conversation in another direction. "Of course he'd have to get along with you and Tara," she added. _Was that hurt on his face?_

"Well, I hate to break this to you, but I don't know many males that would be willing to put up with you. You may have to settle for me in the end," he said jokingly. _Or was it_. She just couldn't read him lately. _Time to change the subject._

"Where's Tara? Did she forget to set her alarm again?" Mel asked as they entered the dining room. The first meal was laid out for them already. Belgian waffles with berries and maple syrup, Mel's mouth started watering at the sight, although she knew she wouldn't be eating them. Ginger rice or some other bland food for the pre-trans. Man she loved the smell of maple syrup.

"Right behind you, sweet cheeks," came Tara's voice from the doorway. She looked awesome in her white workout gear and high ponytail, pieces of hair falling to frame her face. Mel smiled and pulled out the chair next to hers with an exaggerated bow. The doggen on his way in with the coffee made a gasp but covered it with a cough. D took the seat across the table and began filling his plate. He looked good tonight too, sexy, in his boyish way. He was wearing a black T-shirt and dark silver sweats. He caught Mel staring and gave her a knowing smile.

Averting her gaze to her bowl she began filling it with the flavored rice, adding a bit of milk to cool it down. It wasn't horrible, but she was really looking forward to being able to eat normal food. The change was supposed to be feared, with the risks and the pain, but Mel couldn't wait for it to happen.

"Are you guys ready for firearms 101?" Tara asked taking a sip of her herbal tea.

"I'm pumped, my aim is awesome. One thing being pre-trans doesn't keep me from exceeding at is shooting things. I've been practicing in the range for weeks!" Dhayn replied with excitement in his voice.

Mel wasn't looking forward to today's lesson. For one thing, she sucked with a gun, and secondly their instructor gave her the creeps. He was just plain scary as shit, it freaked her out to just be in the same room as the male. He also had a reputation for being tough on the females in class. She didn't look forward to the harassment she was sure to receive from the old male. She didn't say anything just put another spoonful of rice into her mouth.

"I'm much better since my father has been working on my stance, but I still have a lot to learn," Tara said. "Mel, you OK over there? You look a little pale," she said with a smile.

"He makes me nervous. Looks at me like I'm missing something. A dress probably," Mel said sarcastically.

"That is so all in your head Mel, he was on board with the changes to the law," Dhayn defended the male.

"Not what I heard," Mel argued.

"Well, don't believe everything you hear. He may push you hard, but he pushes the guys just as hard. My uncle was around back then and he said that almost all the Brothers supported the change," Dhayn said looking her straight in the eye.

"He's harder on me than on the other guys and you know it, Tara too. You can't tell me that he's the same across the board," Mel accused. A throat clearing brought their attention to the doorway where, of course, their teacher was standing. _Great._

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Thrett. Has he gone out for the night yet?" he asked. Mel avoided his gaze and hoped that one of the others would answer. Her face flamed and she didn't want to make matters worse by opening her mouth again. Thankfully Tara saved her.

"He's still here, I could go and get him for you. Can I show you to the library? You could wait there," she suggested.

"Thank you, but I know the way to the library, and I'm sure that one of the doggen would be able to summon him for me. I would have asked them first but I heard your voices as I came out of the tunnel." His voice was pleasant enough, but Mel could see a challenge in his eyes. "I will see you three in fifteen minutes," he added with a stern look to each of them as he turned to leave the room. "Don't be late," he called over his shoulder.

Now he was really going to have it in for her. Nothing could get Mel into trouble like her mouth. She'd have to work even harder to gain his respect. Unfortunately firearms were not her forte, but she'd find something. She deserved to be here, the blood in her veins gave her the right to be here, and she wasn't going to let anyone tell her otherwise.

With that she rose, and started out toward the tunnel that lead to the training facility. She could hear the footsteps of her friends behind her but none of them broke the silence. The tunnel was about fifty feet long and made of reinforced concrete with inlayed florescent lighting. The hum of the lights sounded much louder in the unnatural silence.

"How much do you think he heard" Mel finally asked as they entered the adjoining hallway, heading toward the gym. They were going to be there before any of their classmates, but they definitely wouldn't be late.

"I think that it's better to assume he heard everything, but act as though he heard nothing," Tara advised. "It's cool Mel, you didn't say anything you didn't really believe. If he's got a problem with that, then..." she looked over her shoulder, "that's his problem not yours, he's the one being an ass." She added the last part under her breath.

"True," Mel said with a deep breath and a sigh. She always felt better when she was good and angry, and this was after all his fault, for harassing her in the first place. Letting the indignation seep in and cover up the nerves, she opened the door to the gym and held it for her friends. "Lets warm up ladies," Mel said. She was almost over the encounter and wanting to punch something. She headed for the punching bags, ready to fight.

… **.**

Tara watched Mel go to town on a punching bag across the blue padded room without warming up. She knew Mel though, she was working off her nerves. Mel always said it was better to be strong now and sore later, then appear weak in their line of work.

Tara started her stretching routine pulling first one, then the other arm across her chest, feeling the stretch in her upper back. Next was pulling her elbows above her head and a few neck and shoulder rolls. She was getting her mind prepared along with her body, shoving out all thoughts of the awkward confrontation, her feelings, and the future, and just focusing on the pulling sensations going through her muscles. She was totally in the zone as she bent over to grab her ankles and stretch her hamstrings. That's when Dhayn spoke up from behind her,

"If you need any help I'm right here"

Tara looked between her legs at an upside-down Dhayn who was wearing a cocky grin. Straightening, she replied, "I'm good, but you on the other hand, need a lot of help. I don't know if there's anything I can do to help deflate your ego though, sorry." Tara smacked his arm.

Dhayn laughed and started walking toward Mel and her swinging victim. Tara sat down and continued her routine, having to start over on clearing her mind. Something about the way Dhayn had been looking at her lately had her thinking things she just couldn't afford to be thinking about.

Sounds of the rest of the students arriving came filtering through the change-room doors. The laughing and bickering was all male, and that was nothing new, Tara was used to being outnumbered here. Mel and her were the only females their age that chose to join the training program.

A lot had changed in the vampire world in the last century, not the least of which was the release of sexual preference regarding the Brotherhood and the Chosen. There had been a lot of dissension in the ranks when that law was passed, and not many had dared use the freedoms available. But, for Tara, there was never a choice. Her earliest memories were of fighting and being taught by Thrett to defend the race. The only daughter of the widowed Brother - and a Commander at that - she had the bloodline rights to be invoked into the brotherhood, and Tara felt like she had to do this for her sire. Being a Brother was his life, his pride, and she wanted to carry that legacy on. Beyond that she could feel it in her bones, she was born to fight. As soon as she was old enough, she became a WIT - Warrior in Training. She would be a level one until her change, not able to truly learn how to fight, but until then she would train her useless body and fill her mind with as much information as possible.

There were other changes too; there were now male Chosen, serving the Scribe Virgin and the female warriors of the race. When the tables of the war were shifted in their direction, and the Brotherhood grew too large for the royal mansion, the King had allowed a second and eventually a third compound to be fitted for use as a Brotherhood strong-house and training facility.

This facility housed five brothers and their families. The fifteen recruits that were bused in lived around the area, but of course had no idea where the compound was actually located. Some traditions were kept for good reason, and the secrecy of the compounds had worked very well for the race in the past.

The males started to filter into the gym, a loud and rowdy pack of wolves, who immediately started on the smart-ass comments and gestures toward her and Mel. The loudest among them, Intrudehr, was a scrawny blond with glinting brown eyes.

Dhayn walked over to Tara and helped her up off the floor glaring at the other WITs. He had been guilty by association since the first day of classes, when he stood up for the girls' right to be there. He hadn't kept quiet, or joined in on the teasing, and Tara loved him for it. She trusted him with her life.

"I'm glad you're all warmed up for me baby," said Tru, earning a chorus of laughter and high fives from his buddies.

"Shut up Tru, or I'll..." Dhayn started but Tara cut him off, this was not going anywhere good.

"No D, it's OK. I'm interested..." she said, walking slowly over to Tru wearing her most alluring face, at least that's what she was going for, and by the look on the male's face it was working. "You gonna make good on all that talk Tru? Or are you still the limp dick big mouth I know you are?" Tara stared him down as his face turned a brilliant shade of red. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by their instructor's commanding voice entering the room.

"Ready in the second position!" he bellowed, and all the talking was over as their class began.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 

The hand-to-hand training in the gym was normal, exhausting and sweaty, but normal. The firearms class Mel was dreading ended up being a breeze. It was an in-class tutorial about the weapons they would be using and the pros and cons of each. All in all a very uneventful night, which was all they could ask for their first night back, kind of working their way back into the run of things. No doubt tomorrow she was going to be sore and tired and worked twice as hard. But Mel didn't mind it, she liked the challenge.

As usual Mel and Tara headed back to their quarters to shower and change. Mel loved her shower. She had one of the multi-head stalls that rained down on her from every angle. The hot water soothed and loosened her muscles. She stayed under the luxurious spray until her bathroom was completely filled with steam and her fingers were beyond pruned. Stepping through the open glass door and onto her plush white bath mat she wiggled her toes and wrapped herself in a terry-cloth robe. The steam was so thick she was having a hard time seeing two feet in front of herself.

_Someone could be in here with me and I wouldn't even know it._ She mused. At that thought her heart quickened, not in fear but in excitement, as two possible intruders flitted through her mind's eye. Shaking her thoughts away she reached for the door handle and thrust the door open into her room. Soft music still played in the far corner of her room. She swayed to it as she dressed for the rest of the night. Worn jeans and a black zip-up hoodie over her favorite green T-shirt. She took her time drying her hair trying to keep her thoughts at bay by drowning them out with noise. It didn't work. Her dreams over the past few nights were floating around her head refusing to be filed away in the 'don't go there' section of her brain.

Growing up Dhayn and Tara had been her partners in crime, her friends, and her confidants. Life for a female in the glymera could be hard enough, but throw in the desire to fight, and you really needed people to support you. Mel still squeezed into her corsets and dresses to appease her mahmen - all too often - but she couldn't imagine making it through those parties without Dhayn and Tara. Neither of them had a mahmen to pressure them into going, but they were always there to support her and make those evenings bearable.

_I suppose it isn't all bad_. Mel thought, remembering the last event that she was forced to go to. She got to dance, and she lived for music. And even though she hated the fuss of getting all dolled up, she loved seeing Dhayn and Tara in their finest. She just hated dealing with all the snide comments and sideways glares. She had to deal with enough of that at home. It seemed no matter how hard she tried, she could never be perfect enough for her mahmen. And even now, as an adult, she just couldn't handle the disappointment on her mahmen's face whenever she didn't look or do things _just right._

_If Phyrie were still alive she'd be doing this right_ , Mel thought. _She'd make mahmen proud and I could live my life, my own way, in peace._

But her sister wasn't around, and now Mel was left fighting the same battle with her mahmen over and over. She still didn't know that Mel was planning on becoming a Brother. At least she refused to acknowledge it if she did. Her mahmen had only agreed to the training program under the pretense of Mel learning how to defend herself. Of course that was one of the reasons why Mel was there, just not the only reason. She would not be made a victim at any cost, but her main reason for being there was to learn how to protect everyone else. She wouldn't be useless again, she would protect the ones she loved.

Memories of a dark alleyway and the smell of garbage invaded her mind. She tried to push them away but they fought their way to forefront of her mind.

_It was a cold night, wet from the day's thunderstorm and the pressure in the air hinted at the bigger storm still to come. Mel and her sister were walking from the drug store to the theater; it was their first girl's night out without their parents. Phyrie had gone through her transition and was everything Mel wanted to grow up to be. She had transformed overnight into a strong and breathtakingly beautiful female. When Phy had offered to take Mel out to the movies that night Mel had been bursting with pride, which was the last time she felt anything close to it._

_Phy had asked if they could go into the drug store before the movie so that she could pick up some new nail polish. Apparently the doggen weren't getting the right shade of red. It meant they'd miss the trailers but Mel didn't care, she worshipped her sister, she'd miss half the movie to make Phyrie happy._

_They weren't paying attention to their surroundings as they made their way to the theater. Maybe if Phyrie had been in training, as Mel now was, she would have seen or heard the attack coming. But she wasn't, and they never saw the males until it was too late. As they were passing a long dark alleyway two strong men shoved them into the darkness. Phyrie was quick to recover, but was too late, they had Mel from behind and held a gun to her head._

_Mel could feel the cold steal pressing into her temple and could smell aftershave on the hand that covered her mouth. She wanted to kick and scream and bite, but even as a youngling she knew to stay still. She knew by the terrified look on Phyrie's face._

" _Let her go," Phyrie pleaded. "She's just a child, I'll stay here, I'll do anything you want, just let her go."_

" _Yes, you will, but we're keeping the little one for leverage," a voice said from the shadows, his body blocked by a dumpster. Mel couldn't see the third man, but she could hear his laughter and it felt like spiders were crawling up her spine. Mel shuddered and watched Phyrie's eyes go wide with terror._

_The other man that Mel was able see didn't have a gun, he had a switchblade, that he was flipping in and out with ease. "Try anything, and she dies," he threatened pointing the knife at Mel "Scream, and she dies," he motioned again with the knife. "Don't do anything we tell you to, and she dies. Do we have an understanding?"_

" _Alright anything, just don't hurt her," Phyrie said with tremors in her voice._

_Mel was shaking slightly but was holding back her tears. She had to be brave in front of her sister. Phyrie wasn't crying, so she wouldn't cry either. But then the man with the knife knelt in front of Mel and looked her right in the eye._

" _I'm going to gag you now. Don't scream or my friend here is going to hurt you. Do you understand?" Mel hated that tears fell as she nodded._

_As the man behind her removed his hand, Mel held in her sobs, but shook from the effort. They shoved a piece of fabric in her mouth and pressed a piece of duct tape across her face from ear to ear. Next they bound her hands behind her back and sat her on an old foldout chair. She squirmed as they taped her legs to the chair, and then moved to secure her midsection to the back of it. When they were through, Mel couldn't move a muscle, or make a sound._

_She could see clearly though, her eyes having adjusted to the darkness. The gunman was short and chubby with long greasy brown hair. He was wearing leather pants and a leather vest with a scull embroidered on the back. The man with the knife was taller and dressed the same but he had no hair and a scar running from behind his left ear to the base of his neck. She still couldn't see the man in the shadows but she could hear him giving her sister orders._

" _You're going to come over here and play while my friends watch your sister," he said in an eerily playful tone._

" _Aren't you going to tie me up and gag me too?" Phyrie asked, puzzled. Her voice sounded too monotone, too…dead to Mel's ears._

" _Don't want or need to," he replied with another laugh that sent the invisible spiders crawling again. "You're going to play nice or they're going to hurt your little sister, and I know you wouldn't want to be responsible for her loosing an eye or an ear would you?"_

_Mel was crying in earnest now, all her attempts at bravery melting away with her tears. She didn't understand what this man wanted but it couldn't be good. Phyrie looked from the shadows to Mel and back again. Her gaze was tortured and her breathing ragged. Mel could see the tears streaming down Phyrie's face and that did it. She had thought that Phyrie was strong enough to take these human guys. She had been scared, but she thought her sister was killing time until she thought of the perfect plan. But as she saw the defeat in her sister's eyes as she slowly walked into the shadows, she realized the truth, Phyrie wasn't going to save her, no one was. That's when the world faded to black._

_The next thing Mel was aware of was someone shaking her awake. The smell of aftershave was back in her nose and she immediately tried to struggle away, but she was still taped to the chair, and horrified that it wasn't all a dream. The man's hands left her shoulders when she raised her watery bronze eyes to meet his brown ones, a look of pity overtook him and he turned quickly away._

" _I just don't see why. It's sick man. This isn't what I agreed to." The knife guys voice was coming from the shadows now too._

" _I'm with Vin on this one. This wasn't part of the deal" the gunman said as he turned to face the others._

" _I don't give a fuck what you think. You can leave, I'm not stopping you, and I don't need your help anymore tonight." The voice from the shadows spoke with anger in his voice. "Just don't get in my fucking way, or I swear I'll kill both of you."_

_Mel heard a clicking noise, and then the two men were backing toward her, out of the shadows. They turned and ran down the alley making a right onto the street. That's when she heard the crying and searched to pinpoint where it was coming from._

_Suddenly her sister was pushed out from behind the dumpster, her hair a mess and her makeup all over her face - her pretty pink dress was ripped and dirty. She landed unceremoniously on her hands and knees and scrambled toward where Mel was sitting._

" _Stop" the man demanded, and she did. Apologizing to Mel with her eyes she sat back on her feet, kneeing. There was a loud bang, Mel's heart was in her throat. A dark spot appeared over Phyrie's heart, it quickly grew until the front of her dress was stained dark. Mel watched as the life faded out of her sister's eyes, and she crumpled to the wet pavement. Mel blacked out again to the sound of distant sirens growing louder and louder._

The knocking on her door brought Mel back to the present, where she was on the floor shaking. She bolted to her feet when the door opened, trying her best to pull herself together. Tara walked in and when she saw Mel's face she quickly closed the door, crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her.

Mel broke down into tears. If it was anyone else she would have put up a front, but Tara knew everything, and Mel could never hide her feelings from her other half. Tara had been there to get her through it all after coming home that night, and she'd helped her get through every breakdown since.

Mel pulled back, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Tara just nodded with a small smile. After a few deep breaths and a glass of water from her bathroom, Mel headed down the hall with Tara to meet Dhayn. Just outside the door Mel grabbed Tara's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thanks Tara, just…thanks."


	4. Chapter 4

****

**Chapter 4**

Another day, another strange dream. This one he'd had a lot lately, it was of Tara and Mel waving as they drove off into the sunset with faceless males. Dhaynger threw his pillow across the room and tossed his head back down on the mattress. The dreams didn't even make sense, for one, Dhayn had never even seen a real sunset. He rubbed his eyes. And the girls would never just up and leave him like that. Time to write it out.

Dhayn reached under his mattress and retrieved his well-worn black leather notebook. After his parents died the nightmares had robbed him of sleep for weeks. His uncle had sent him to Dr. Sloan right away, not knowing what to do with a youngling, especially a grieving one.

The doctor had gotten young Dhaynger to open up and had prescribed a leather book. Dhayn remembered the doctor as he palmed the well-used book. It was worn around the edges and had a broken clasp from all the years of being shoved under his mattress, but it was the best way for him to work out his troubles. Any time Dhayn had a strange dream he wrote it in the book, along with any thoughts he had about them. If his brain wanted to tell him something then he could let it out in this book, and be done with it.

He had written in it faithfully for years when he was a youngling and it helped him through some hard days. Now though, ordinary dreams didn't make the cut, he only bothered with the dreams that lingered, like the one he had just had, again. Ever since Mel had talked about her future mate Dhayn had been having these dreams.

He finished scratching out the dream in the book and shoved it under the mattress again. It was time to move on from this. _Get up and man up_. Dhayn knew that he couldn't control who stayed and who left, a lesson learned a long time ago. So he shook off the pain that was lingering in his chest and went into his closet to throw on some clothes. He dressed in his usual training gear and headed downstairs for first meal. Having slept in, the girls were already in the dining hall finishing their food and talking up a storm. Dhayn smiled as the sounds of their words and laughter met him on his way down the stairs. He walked into the room while Tara was in the middle of a story.

"And then his head turned around on his shoulders, all creepy and owl-like. Then I tried to scream but of course I couldn't…" Tara was very animated and her sapphire eyes were wide with excitement. "…but then he just smiled and said 'would you like fries with that?'" she finished with a laugh.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Dhayn couldn't help but ask.

"Her crazy nightmare about a zombie McDonalds employee," Mel offered.

"Scariest shit I ever saw, well dreamt, whatever. I woke up screaming, so not cool." Tara added with a small shudder.

"You should write it down, it'll help." Dhayn sat down in his usual spot across from the girls.

"Ya, you're probably right" Tara said as she raised her eyebrow. "Hey D, when are we going to see your dream book?"

"When I'm dead and buried." This was always his answer. Dhayn's face paled when he thought of either of them reading some of the dreams he had written in that book. He sometimes regretted ever telling them about the book's existence, but at the time he had only been trying to help Mel get through her own plague of nightmares. He laughed as he looked up to see Mel and Tara both wearing matching pouts.

"I don't care how much you pout" _or how cute you look while doing it_ "You're never seeing it, that shit's personal," Dhayn said tossing a napkin across the table at Tara. Tara reached for the bagels, ready to start a war, but they didn't have the time for this. Dhayn held up his wrist and pointed to his watch.

"Fine, rain check on revenge, but it will be sweet and unexpected," Tara said with a grin.

They didn't want to be late tonight. Class had been rough this past week. They had been pushed to their limits, but tonight they had Mel's least favorite Brother back as their instructor, and as Dhayn watched Mel push her untouched food around her bowl he knew what she was thinking. It was going to be another night of getting yelled at in front of everyone. She had definitely improved but not enough for their teacher. The Brother had been hard on everyone. But, Dhayn knew his job was to push them, to make them Warriors. Although, he was starting to notice the bias he was showing toward the girls. It wasn't as obvious with Tara, because she was ahead of most of the males when it came to firearms so she only got picked apart in the gym, but Mel was taking quite a few blows to her self-esteem on both fronts and Dhayn could tell it was wearing on her.

"Did you get any time to practice during the day?" Tara asked, apparently she had noticed too.

"Yep, but I still suck," Mel replied with a grimace. "And before you say it, I know, I'll get better, it'll all work out, everyone sucks at first. I know okay, but it still sucks being the worst one there and having it thrown in my face by that misogynistic prick." At this she glanced over at the door and looked relieved to see it empty.

"Look Mel, I think…" Dhayn started.

"Don't even try to defend him again D." Tara cut in, "She's right, he pushes her like crazy at the range and in the gym it's both of us, I thought I was going to throw up last time I was so fucking tired." Both of the girls wore masks of defensiveness and glared at him across the table.

"I know." Dhayn stared right back. "That's what I was going to say. I think that you're right Mel, there is something up with him," he finished. Both girls blushed and looked away.

"I'm sorry D, I didn't mean to snap at you. It's been a rough week for all of us. Let's just make it through tonight together and then we get two months off to recover." Tara said, always the peacemaker.

"About that..." Mel said with a sigh, "I'm leaving on Monday. My mahmen has arranged for us to stay at a friend's summer home. I think she plans on having their son help me through my transition." The girls jumped when Dhayn's fist came down on the table. His face burned and his hand hurt from the impact, but the shock and anger was still fresh in his mind. She was leaving, it wasn't just a dream.

"I begged her to stay, but she wouldn't budge and my father backed her up. I'm coming back at the end of the summer." She added still nudging at her food. There was a moment of stilted silence as the news sunk in. Dhayn was calming himself down with measured deep breaths when Tara broke the silence again.

"Well, that sucks." Tara gently took the hand that Mel was using to poke at her food. "But we'll vid-chat every day and you'll tell us all about the crazy shit you're doing to make her regret ever having brought you there."

Mel let out a nervous laugh and smiled up at Tara. Dhayn knew she wouldn't do anything to upset her mother. Ever since her sister died she'd been trying to make it up to her mahmen by being the perfect daughter. It didn't matter how many times he had tried to tell her otherwise, she always blamed herself.

Mel slowly turned and met his gaze. They connected in that moment and he could feel the hurt and fear in her eyes, as she no doubt felt the war of emotions coming from his. Holding her gaze he got up and came around the table to wrap his arms around her.

"It's going to be alright Mel," he whispered in her ear. "I'll miss you, we'll miss you, but it's just a couple of months. Tara's right, we'll talk every day." He pulled back and stared into her bronze eyes, swimming now behind her unshed tears.

"It's not the time apart I'm afraid of, though that totally sucks. I don't want to drink some stranger's blood, and what if he…" her voice cracked and a tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

Dhayn was warring with his feelings, trying to keep it together. He brushed the tear away with the pad of his thumb wanting to taste it as it sat glistening there.

Tara spoke up softly, "We are all going to have to go through this with strangers and that sucks, but that's just the way it is." She pulled Mel away from Dhayn to give her a hug.

_I wish it could be me._ Dhayn thought staring longingly at his girls. He turned his head and kissed the tear from his thumb. The alarm on his watch chimed and all three of them jumped to their feet.

"OK, one problem at a time." Mel took a deep breath. "Let's go kick some ass." She put her brave face on and started for the door. Dhayn followed her, putting on his own mask of calm as they headed toward the gym.

…

The rest of the WITs were already in the gym when Tara entered behind Mel and Dhayn. They were all in various states of warming up: stretching, sparing, and lifting weights. Luckily they had made it there before their instructor, so they hurriedly set about warming up. There was no way to quiet the emotions going through Tara's mind as she struggled to release the tension in her muscles. She settled for just stretching and letting her mind turn over the newest drama.

Mel was leaving for the summer, and she was very likely going to go through her change while she was gone. _The change_ , Tara shuddered, she had never thought she would have to go through her transition without Mel. Mel and Tara were born five days apart and Dhayn was almost exactly a year older. So it was more than likely they were going to go into their transitions around the same time. She had always hoped they would be there for each other.

At least Dhayn was going to be there, but what if Mel fell for this 'son of a friend' and didn't come back. Would she at least come back to say good-bye? _Would I be able to let her go if she did?_ Tara was really getting worked up and had to get control of her thoughts. She breathed in deep as she lifted her upper body from the mat, arching her back, and slowly released that breath as she lowered herself back down. After a few more stretches, and ten push-ups, Tara had managed to clear her mind. She got to her feet with a triumphant smile. When she opened her eyes she realized she'd been smiling right at Tru.

"That's some nice form you got there," Tru said as he walked up to Tara.

"Thanks." Tara turned to join Mel at the punching bags. He hadn't said or done anything wrong, yet, but she wasn't going to stick around and give him the chance.

"Hey wait up!" He jogged to catch up to her. "Look I know that…"

"Please just don't." Tara cut him off, putting a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "I'm having a really bad night so far, and although I'd love to verbally bitch slap you again tonight, I just don't have the energy."

"Okaaay…" he said with a glance down at her hand still on his shoulder. Tara jerked it back quickly. "I'll give you a night off." He gave her a wink, and turned to walk back to his friends.

Although that was definitely strange, Tara didn't have time to think about it, their instructor made his entrance, slamming the gym door on his way in. He was wearing his mood on his face, and it wasn't a good one. His normal rough appearance was shadowed by whatever was bothering him, making him look just plain scary as shit. This didn't bode well for the class.

Tara changed her direction again and headed for her usual position in the gym, last row on the far right. She had come to agree with Mel about this Brother, he was tough, very tough, but she wasn't a quitter no matter how hard he pushed her. Moving to the back, and out of the crosshairs, just cut down on the badgering, both from him and the other guys in the class.

Everyone else had picked up on his mood too, and had quickly stopped what they were doing and gotten into position. The gym was silent but for some heavy breathing and the sound of shitkickers on the floor as he paced in front of them, a scowl still on his face. He stopped pacing in the middle of the room and turned to address the class.

"This is the last night I will be with you before your summer break. I think that taking a break in your training is total bullshit and a waste of time. The war we're in doesn't take the summers off, and neither do the Warriors who fight in it." He gave some serious cut-eye to those who were dumb enough to show their disappointment, Tara wasn't one of them, she held her poker face and watched as the instructor began to walk around and through the lines of trainees.

"That being said, it's not my call…" There was irritation laced in every word, but a tangible release of tension in the room. "But, that doesn't stop me from making up for lost time." He looked at Tara and flashed a wicked grin. "Tonight will not be easy, you're going to be pushed to your limits, you're going to hurt, and tomorrow when you're nauseous and sore, you're going to work out again anyway, because when you get back from your 'break' you'd better be prepared to show me that you deserve to be here or don't bother coming back at all."

A chorus of "Yes sir!" rang out in the room, and the tension that had eased was now back tenfold. When he ordered them to start with a series of suicide drills and push-ups there wasn't any hesitation in the room, everyone gave their best effort, both motivated and terrified by his little speech.

He hadn't been lying about how hard he was going to be. As Tara stared up at the fluorescent ceiling lights from her position on the floor, she could barely breathe from the cramping all over her body. Every muscle hurt, just trying to sit up made her feel like she was going to loose what little she had eaten at first meal. She would have been trying to fake it and brush off the exhaustion if most of the class wasn't on the floor with her.

Their instructor had just left after the most grueling combat class Tara had ever had, topped off with a series of insults and drills for the _sisters_ a.k.a Tara and Mel. Tara didn't want to move, and she would have been happy to sleep off the day on the gym mats, if it weren't for the pair of eyes she now found staring down at her. She looked around the gym a noticed the last remaining guys going into the change-rooms. She cursed herself for telling Dhayn and Mel to go ahead without her.

"Can't take the heat Tara?" Tru was standing over her now with a foot on either side of her waist. Running a hand through his short blond hair. Tara glared up at him taking deep painful breaths to calm herself. It really had been too much, her muscles were seizing up, she couldn't move, but there was no way she was going to let him know that.

"Oh and I'm sure you'd be up for another set of fifty push-ups?" she said, a challenge in her voice. She didn't think she could do five, let alone fifty but neither could this tool.

Tru's lips turned up into a grin and before Tara could move he had dropped into position hovering over her, his hands on either side of her face. Tara was shock-still for a moment as he slowly lowered himself. The gold flecks in his brown eyes were shining brightly inches from her face. Her own eye's widened in shock.

"Maybe not fifty," his lips were a breath away from hers as he lowered himself and then pushed his upper body up again. Maybe he was stronger than she thought. Tara continued to glare at him as she assessed how much energy she had regained, and the best way to use it. He had already done five push-ups and was still going. _Damnit._

"But I don't know. In this position I might…" his words drifted as he stared at Tara's lips, lowering himself again. It was time to act.

Using the adrenaline that had just spiked in her system, Tara rolled to left, knocking his right arm out from under him and taking it with her as she mounted his lower back, twisting his arm so that his wrist was between his shoulder-blades. She used the last of her fading strength to shove his face into the mat, and was about to make a smart-ass comment, when she heard a low laugh from behind her. Tara slowly turned her upper body to see her instructor, his forgotten gym bag in hand, and a smile on his face. Tru grunted under her and started to move. Not having any energy left to fight him, Tara faked mercy and got up, releasing him.

Tara looked around the gym but the instructor had left already, and when she turned back to Tru he was standing close behind her, breathing heavily, mischief in his eyes. Her eyes were drawn to the cut on his bottom lip and the drop of blood that rested below it.

"Want a taste?" He slowly licked his lips.

"Fuck you." Tara shoved past him.

"Maybe when I see you next." He laughed. "A lot will change this summer Tara, and you may have drawn first blood but I'll wait until after my change to return the favor."

Tara flipped him the bird as she yanked the door open and quickly headed toward the tunnel. Her whole body ached but she didn't slow down until she was in her room. She collapsed on her bed and stayed there, deep in sleep for twelve hours, until Thrett woke her up with some very bad news.

"Tehrrify wake up. I've got some great news." He paused and waited for her to meet his gaze. "You're going to go visit your aunt."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**  
**

Mel sat at the table for last meal with all the Brothers of the house and their families. She was staring at the droplets of condensation, as they made their way slowly down the sides of her glass, leaving little clear trails behind them on the foggy surface. Distantly she heard her mahmen saying her name. Mel had tuned her out after the first five minutes of "oh won't it be great" and "you'll have so much fun." Mel wasn't looking forward to her summer purgatory at the lake any more than when her mahmen had told her the first time. In fact, she would have rather had bamboo splinters shoved under her nails than spend the summer with her mahmen and her "friends" at the lake. Mel focused on her mahmen and saw a look of pure irritation on her face.

"Well, are you?" Cynthia asked, exasperated.

"Um…am I what?" Mel stumbled with her words trying to recall what her mahmen had been talking about. Cynthia scowled, stood up and tossed her red linen napkin on the table.

"Packed!" She huffed as she stepped from behind her chair. "Seriously Mehlisha, if you insist on doing it yourself, then at least tell me that you haven't left it until now. We're leaving at sunset, or did you forget that too?" Cynthia stood waiting for her answer.

Mel looked away, embarrassed by all the stares that were focused on her in the now quiet room. Mel hadn't wanted the doggen to pack for her. She knew that her mahmen would have had them leave her usual clothes at home and fill her suitcases with a whole lot of "ladylike" clothing. But with only the next few daylight hours to spend with her friends before her exile, she didn't want to waste any of them packing.

"I haven't had the time. I suppose it would be best if one of the doggen took care of it for me." Mel hated the smile in her mahmen's eyes as she said this. Cynthia gave a stern nod and exited the room with the few others who had finished their meals. Mel looked around the table for her friends and found Dhayn, he gave her an apologetic smile. Tara, who had shown up late looking very shaken, was still staring at her uneaten food. Apparently she had missed the drama in her state.

"Hey Tara, not hungry?" Mel teased. Tara shrugged her shoulders and motioned with her head to the door. The two of them got up and left the room together, D joined them on the way to the stairs. Whatever was bothering Tara was more important than what had happened with her mahmen, she needed to know what was up.

"So your room or mine?" Mel grabbed Tara's hand and gave her a knowing smile.

"How about mine, seeing as how I'm not allowed in either?" D was walking up the stairs backwards so that he could face them. Mel nodded and they followed him down the long dark corridor to his wing of the house. Once they had gotten situated on the couch in his room Tara turned to them with sadness in her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm leaving too. My father is sending me to visit my aunt Daralis for the summer."

…

Tara looked from Dhayn to Mel, waiting for their response to her news. Dhayn looked as if someone died, poor guy, Tara hated leaving him there alone. Mel grabbed Tara's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Daralis is really nice Tara, I'm sure it won't be all that bad." Mel ran her thumb back and forth over Tara's knuckles.

"She's forcing my father to send me there, says I need to be making an _informed_ decision. She's wanted me to come to the Chosen's camp up north for years but he's managed to talk her out of it…until now." Tara glanced down at their entwined hands, wishing she could take Mel with her.

"Will you get to see the Sanctuary?" Mel asked. Tara could tell that she was hiding her curiosity. Mel's mahmen had never given her the option to be a Chosen, or a Brother for that matter. Unfortunately for her, Mel was taking one of those roads regardless.

"Wait, what? Where exactly does your aunt live?" Dhayn asked, looking puzzled and irritated to be left out of the loop.

"My aunt Daralis, or Chosen Daralis, lives with the other Chosen and the Primale at the camp up north," Tara explained. "When my mahmen died birthing me Daralis wanted to be my ward and raise me to be one of the Chosen, but my father wouldn't hear of it. She has been begging him to let me visit her ever since. I think she assumes that once I see the beauty of the life she leads, that I'll change my path and follow in the footsteps her and my mahmen." Tara could tell that Dhayn was not very happy with this news either. He wore a scowl that made her reach out and smooth his furrowed brow.

"If I go through my transition while I'm there she will take me to the other side to see the Sanctuary and the Temple. I'm not going to change my mind on becoming a Brother, I'm made to fight, and I'm a little freaked out about spending the summer with a bunch of Chosen I don't know. But, I get to meet the Primale, and I am intrigued to see what the other side looks like. I'm just sorry to leave you here, alone." Tara rested her hand on Dhayn's knee and gave him an apologetic smile.

"Hey you don't have to worry about me, I'm tougher than I look…for now." Dhayn smiled as he smacked his chest. "I want you to enjoy your summer, both of you." He looked from Tara to Mel. "I'll probably get really board and restless but then you'll both come back here looking all hot and we'll kick some serious ass together. That is, if you can keep up," he teased.

Mel threw a couch cushion at his head and pounced on him. "I suppose if you can live through boredom I can get through a summer with my mahmen." Mel was messing with his hair. Tara had to smile as they started to wrestle and then fell apart almost immediately on the floor, groaning. They were likely just as tired and sore from their last lesson as Tara still was.

"Your right, it sucks that we can't spend the summer together, but we'll be back soon enough, hopefully with our transformations behind us, and our futures officially in our own hands," Tara said, as she got up from the couch.

"Hell yes, and I can't wait," Mel said, and sat up to watch Tara as she grabbed the remote from Dhayn's nightstand.

"For now can we just forget about everything and just hang out?" Tara turned on the TV and headed back to the couch. They took their usual position, Dhayn in the middle with the girls taking up either arm of the couch. After some bickering and round of rock-paper-scissors they settled on a movie to watch and then spent the rest of the daylight hours watching TV, fooling around, and keeping themselves awake.

When the time came for Mel to say goodbye, Tara couldn't help her tears. They embraced and promised to call each other the next day. Dhayn held his emotions inside but Tara could tell it was hard for him to watch Mel go.

Tara was next to leave, a half hour later. When Thrett came to Dhayn's room to find her, he was not happy that they were in there alone, but agreed to give her a few more minutes. After he left they stood and Dhayn pulled her into his arms.

"Just promise me you'll come back," his voice was thick with emotion.

"I promise," Tara said without hesitation. She pulled back slightly to look into his eyes. They were drawn into each other with their eyes locked, and she knew he could see the truth in her eyes. He kissed her forehead, his lips lingering there, sending tingles down her spine. He looked down at her again his blue and green eyes searching hers. Tara's mind was on overdrive. _What was that? Why now? Should I…_ That's when she realized she had been staring at his lips. She felt one of his hands slowly move up her back, but then her father knocked on the door. Dhayn hugged her again and they murmured their goodbyes.

When Thrett opened the door Tara reluctantly pulled herself away, but when she saw the irritated look on her father's cobalt eyes she hurried to joined him in the hall. He was dressed in his black military-looking uniform and his hair was freshly buzzed. She waved from the doorway, and walked with Thrett through the long hallways and down the main stairway to the vestibule, where a familiar grey-haired doggen named Pierre was busy taking her suitcases out to the car. He was dressed like a traditional butler, which always made her smile.

"I know you don't like this, but Daralis is right. Your mahmen would have wanted you to see their world and make your own decision." Thrett said, putting his big hands on Tara's small shoulders. "It is beautiful there, and you need to know that I will support you if you choose to stay. I never meant to pressure you into being a Warrior, I just…"

"You didn't," Tara cut in. "I have always wanted this, and you were only ever supportive of me, that's all." Tara could see the indecision in his eyes. She wanted to ease his mind. He was going out patrolling that night and she couldn't leave knowing he'd be distracted and worried about her. "Don't you worry about me, I want to go." She gave him a reassuring smile. "I love aunt Daralis, and I'm excited about meeting the Chosen, and seeing the places mahmen grew up."

"My sister is nearly bursting at the seams with joy over those very same things."

"Well, then I better not keep her waiting." Tara gave him a quick hug and headed for the door.

"Have fun Tehrrify, enjoy the camp it's beautiful. And your aunt has instructions to call me the minute you start showing signs of the transition. If it's at night I'll be there instantly, and in two hours by car during the day."

"OK." Tara couldn't help the relief she felt at the thought of her father being there. Not wanting to show her emotions, she quickly waved and stepped outside into the warm embrace of the night.

The doggen was waiting at the back door of a black Mercedes with blacked-out windows. She ducked into the car and once she was seated the doggen closed the door for her. The interior was all black as well, with soft black leather seating that was spacious enough to lie down in, which she did. She could feel the day of emotions and no sleep creeping up on her, and in no time she was out cold.

Tara woke up to the sound of the partition window sliding down. "Excuse me mademoiselle, but we will be arriving at our destination in five minutes. I presumed you would want the time to gather yourself before meeting your hosts." The doggen looked nervous about his assumption.

"Thank you Pierre. That was very kind of you. Is my handbag in the trunk?" Tara couldn't help but return the doggen's smile, it was lighting up his face.

"No, it should be at your feet, behind the passenger seat, along with your carry-on."

"Oh thank you, again." Tara turned on the interior light and looked down and to the right, sure enough there was her purse and a small backpack. The window slid back up into place giving her privacy, and a mirror. She unzipped the top of the black backpack and looked through its contents; her iReader, a water bottle, a protein bar, toiletries, a clean shirt, her computer – fully charged. Tara had to laugh, _was there anything the doggen didn't think of?_ She grabbed her brush and pulled it through her hair slowly. When the knots were out she took the elastic from around its handle and pulled her hair up into a neat ponytail. Next she took a drink of the water, washing the stale taste out of her mouth, and used some breath freshener that she found with the toiletries. Finishing with a sweep of clear lipgloss on her lips.

The car came to a stop and a moment later Pierre opened the door for her. Tara stepped out into the noticeably cooler air. It was dark, with trees blocking out most of the stars where they had stopped, but she could see the main cabin lit up from the inside and out. As she stared at it the front door opened and her aunt came running out, a huge smile on her face.

"Tehrrify, you made it! Oh how I've missed you my darling girl." She gathered her up into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head.

"It's great to see you too aunt Daralis."

"Oh just Dar, please." They stepped out of the embrace and Dar looked Tara up and down. "You haven't changed too much since my last visit. Although, there will be much change this summer if I'm not mistaken." Daralis had been predicting this summer since Tara was thirteen, she really hoped that her aunt was right.

"Come my dear there are some people I want you to meet." Dar took Tara's hand and led her up toward the cabin that seemed to get bigger the closer they got.

Tara was greeted at the door by one of the most beautiful couples she had ever seen. The male looked familiar, though she knew she had never seen him before. He had long, multicolored hair and brilliant amber eyes. His huge body was not dressed in battle gear or robes as she expected but in designer clothes. The blond female tucked under one of his massive arms was equally as beautiful. She extended her hand to Tara and she took it, honored.

"Welcome Tehrrify, daughter of Thrett. I am Cormia and this," she motioned to the beautiful male beside her, "is Phury."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Twenty-eight days Mel, that's it. You're already past the halfway mark." Dhayn's face looked so different on her screen. He had gone through his transition two days after the girls left but she still wasn't used to it. Mel was more than a little pissed at her mahmen for having made her miss it.

"I know, you're right. It would be so much easier if I didn't have to pretend to give a shit about all the dresses and parties. I thought I'd at least get a break from the glymera during my exile, but apparently they all have summer homes and the endless parties continue." Mel looked across her room at the latest monstrosity of a gown Cynthia had bought her. The pile of gold satin was thrown on the chair in the corner.

"Hey at least you're not alone."

"Sorry D, I'll stop. I guess it's really not that bad. Hey did I tell you I finally met their son Cynric?"

"No." Dhayn did not look too happy about the news.

"Ya, wow, he's really nice, and funny, and good-looking…" Dhayn's face was turning red and Mel could hear a faint growl coming through her speakers. "…and totally gay," she paused for effect and watched his face relax. "He's hiding it from his parents for now, but he let me know when he saw how nervous I was about the whole transition thing."

"Well that's…good, I guess. Hey have you heard from Tara lately?" He clearly wanted to change the subject.

"Not in a few days, she wasn't feeling so hot the last time we talked." Mel had been worried sick ever since, keeping her phone on her at all times, waiting and hoping to hear from her.

"I'm worried that she might be going into her transition, Thrett never came back from his patrol last night." Dhayn looked pretty scared and Mel's face probably matched his. No matter how much their race had learned over the centuries, the transition was still very dangerous. And, Mel realized with a shiver that meant she was next.

There was a light knock on her door and then her mahmen stepped into the room. She was dressed to the nines, her hair pulled back, her make-up just right, and her ears and fingers adorned with jewels. Her deep purple gown highlighted her bronze eyes, the exact same shade as Mel's own, and they were livid as she looked over Mel's current 'not ready' state.

"I've gotta go D. Talk to you later." Mel quickly turned off her screen and jumped up from her bed. She pulled off her oversized tee and stepped into the big satin dress. She turned and grabbed a bedpost so her mahmen could lace the corseted back. Cynthia huffed and walked over silently, grabbing the top of the dress. Mel squirmed as she was tugged and squeezed into shape. When she was done Cynthia stepped away and headed for the door.

"I'm sending in one of the doggen to fix your hair. Really Mehlisha would it kill you to try for once?" She slammed the door behind her.

Mel looked at herself in the mirror. The deep gold would never have been her choice, but when she saw it on, the gown was much prettier than she had expected. The color made her eyes sparkle and it accented her hair beautifully. The tight bodice was strapless with many layers of rouched satin that billowed out from her waist in gathers of more satin that just kissed the floor. It fit her perfectly and made her look almost curvy adding volume to her thin pre-trans body. She turned and looked at the back, the corset was laced with deep red satin, the tails of which ran almost to the floor. She looked at the matching red shoes and clutch sitting on her dresser and had to admit her mahmen had chosen well this time. _Now that's a first_ Mel hoped that her ranting had gotten through to Cynthia, so that she could avoid another pink and frilly disaster.

There was a soft knock on the door and Mel called for the doggen to enter. She was happy to see Thalia when she walked in, the elderly doggen was by far her favorite and she trusted her to keep her from looking like a clown. Mel sat at the vanity and made polite conversation with Thalia as she brushed and pinned her hair, and then started on her make-up. Only twenty minutes went by and Mel was ready to go. Well, as ready as she could be, there was no improving her attitude.

The car ride seemed longer this time and when Mel stepped out she found out why. Apparently one of the things she had missed while ignoring her mahmen, was that this wasn't just another party, it was the summer festival. The venue was an outdoor ballroom set behind a very large, and very old, stone mansion. The grounds were immense and beautiful, lit up with lanterns and candles everywhere. There was a large dance floor set up, already filled with dancers, and a gazebo adorned with flowers and more lanterns, housing a string quartet.

Mel had separated from her mahmen and found Cynric. They were talking about everything and nothing, making fun of the more ridiculous outfits, when her mahmen appeared behind her. Cynthia grabbed Mel's arm and pulled her around the other side of the dance floor. Cynric came along and Mel was grateful to him for it, she hated being alone with her mahmen. At no cue Mel had heard Cynthia came to an abrupt stop and pulled her into a clumsy bow.

"It is an honor your majesties." Cynthia stood slowly pulling Mel up with her. "This is my daughter, Mehlisha."

Mel looked up, way up, to see a huge male dressed in all black, with long dark hair that fell like a curtain on either side of his face, and black wraparounds covering his eyes. Her eyes went huge and she almost took an involuntary step back, until she saw the male's hand stroking the blond head of a dog sitting beside him. Mel reached out her hand without thinking and then quickly drew it back. The beautiful dark-haired female standing on his other side laughed brightly.

"Thank you, but there is still no need for the Majesty nonsense, it just makes him upset," the female said with a smile, nodding toward the imposing male.

"I beg your pardon your…Beth, old habits die hard." Cynthia was blushing from head to toe. The female smiled at Cynthia reassuringly and then gave a small nod to Mel.

"It is lovely to finally meet you Mehlisha. My name is Beth, and this is His Majesty King Wrath." The King growled deep in his throat and his female laughed in response.

"It's an honor to meet you both." Mel did a small curtsy, and saw the resulting smile on her mahmen's face. "What is your dog's name?" Mel had always loved dogs, and she was eager now to hear the King's voice.

"This is George." The King's voice was low and commanding, but the name made Mel smile. She raised her eyebrow in question but respectfully stayed quiet. "His namesake was the first dog I had, looks just like him."

Mel was startled at the answer to her unspoken question but didn't have the time to think it through before her world came crashing down.

"So you're one of the females training to be inducted into the Brotherhood. Are you sure you're up for the challenge?" he asked with a teasing edge to his voice.

Mel saw her mahmen straighten out of the corner of her eye. She didn't want her to find out this way, this soon, but she couldn't appear weak in front of the King.

"Yes." There was resolve in her voice, she was done placating her mahmen; she was ready to fight, to serve. Mel heard a small gasp from beside her and then Beth lunged forward, catching Cynthia as she fainted.

…

Dhayn jumped as his cellphone buzzed in his pocket. He had fallen asleep watching TV and had been having a particularly steamy dream. _This better be important,_ he thought, pulling the thing from his pocket and unlocking the screen. It was a text from a number he didn't recognize.

HEY D ITS MEL. SRY I DIDNT CALL.

Dhayn straightened up and quickly texted her back

_WHAT HAPPENED?_

LNG STORY SHRT - MET THE KING, MAHMEN FOUND OUT ABOUT TRAINING. GOT GROUNDED – LOL.

_WHOS PHONE R U USING?_

CYNRIC - I WONT B ABLE 2 TALK 4 IDK HOW LNG

_FML THAT SUX! HOW R U?_

NOT 2 GOOD, ITS GONNA HAPPEN SOON D. HOWS TARA?

_FINE, SHE MADE IT THRU_

THANK GOD, CAN U FILL HER IN? I G2G NOT ALWD 2 USE PHONE :(

_YEP, MISS U, TXT ME WHEN U CAN_

THX, ME 2, I WILL :)

Dhayn tossed his phone on the table in front of him. He'd been scared shitless for the past week and a half, worried about his girls. He had heard from Tara the week before which eased him a little but then he couldn't get a hold of Mel. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. He was happy that he knew she was okay, but they still weren't out of the water yet. By the sounds of it Mel was about to go into her transition, with Cynric. _God I even hate his fucking name!_

Dhayn grabbed his phone and set out for the gym. He texted Tara as he walked.

_HEY T, MELS FINE, JUST GROUNDED – MISS U_

Tara wouldn't get the text for another week, she was visiting the other side, but he had promised her he would text her an update as soon as he found out what was doing. As he walked through the tunnel he shoved his phone back in the pocket of his gym bag. When he reached the door to the training facility he placed his palm on the scanner to the right and waited to hear the slide and click of the lock disengaging. He went straight to the gym and got to work. He found that working out was still the best way to keep his mind off of the girls.

After about an hour of hard-core lifting and half that again on the treadmill, he set out for the change rooms to take a shower. He stripped down and left his clothes in a pile on the bench in the empty change room next to his gym bag. It was still a little weird for him being in there alone, and in his new body. It didn't feel like the same place he had been in every day for the past year. He turned on one of the showers and stepped under the warm spray. As he lathered himself up he felt a weird sense of being in someone else's skin, a feeling he had pretty much every night. He wondered to himself when those hands would feel like _his_ hands. He continued to use the soap all over his new body, coming finally to his groin. He always left that area for last, knowing as soon as he touched his cock, he'd have to deal with it. The thing had a mind of its own, always wanting, never satisfied. He felt the shaft harden under his palm as he washed it, and shuddered at the contact.

It didn't matter how many times he'd given himself release, he'd always wanted more. Didn't stop him from trying though. He started stroking his shaft, first slowly and then picking up speed. He braced himself against the shower wall with his other hand as he focused on the dream he had been having; Mel and Tara on either side of his neck kissing and biting him. He came with a shudder and sagged against the wall. That wasn't the end of the dream or his pleasure from it. He spent the next half hour trying to fulfill the need inside him, until his legs grew weak and he used what strength he had left to get dressed and make it back to his room.

He collapsed on his bed, lost in thought. _Well at least I'm getting it out of my system while the girls are away._ Dhayn hated the idea of his hormones fucking up his chances with either of the girls. It was his one consolation to being left there alone. He'd had a hard enough time trying to keep his sex drive in check without them around. If they had been there all summer, close enough to see, and touch. Dhayn groaned and rolled onto his back, his now rock hard erection strained against his pants. _Here we go again._

…

_Two weeks later:_

Mel was lounging by the indoor pool with Cynric when she heard her cell go off in her purse. Cyn got to it first and held it away from her, teasing her with his smile. Mel growled and crouched to pounce.

"Slow down there my little tiger, just tell me what I want to know and I'll hand it over." Cyn crossed his arms over his well-defined chest. His hazel eyes were gleaming with mischief.

"Fuck you, I'm not…" Cyn stretched his hand out over the pool and motioned to drop the phone in the water. "Don't! So not cool Cyn. Fine what do you want to know?"

"Which one are you going to choose? Tall dark and handsome, or tall curvy and beautiful?"

"Did I mention lately that I hate you?"

"Did I mention lately that you're a bitch? Spill. And just so you know my opinion, I think you should pick curvy."

"Oh really, and why is that?"

"Simple, so I can get my hands on handsome."

Not the right thing to say. Mel couldn't stop the growl before it was torn from her lips. She pounced on him without thinking and had her phone in her hand as he hit the ground, hard.

"I guess I have my answer then."

"Not likely." Mel smiled as she flipped open her phone and brought up the new text from Tara.

DONE PACKING. CANT WAIT 2 C U. THE PLAN STILL ON?

Mel worried her bottom lip.

_GUESS I SHOULD PACK 2 LOL, MISS U 2…YES_

"What plan?" Cyn had been reading over her shoulder.

"Nothing." She snapped her phone shut.

"You almost give me a concussion and then…"

"OK shut up. We're not going to see each other until we all meet on the roof tomorrow at midnight."

"And you were hiding this why? That's not much of a plan."

"The plan is to show off our new bodies…all of them."

"And who's brilliant idea was that?"

"Mine…Dhayn's…I don't really remember. It was a kind of like a challenge, I don't know, I know it sounds stupid but we all swore to do it when we were younger, so it is what it is."

"Oh, well that could be awkward."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Mel tucked her phone back into her purse and pushed Cyn into to pool. She laughed as he came up for air, trying hard not to think of what she was going home to - and how the hell to survive it unscathed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lemon's begin in earnest this chapter. Consider this my last warning, enjoy :)

**Chapter 7**

Tara's whole body was shaking with nervous jitters. _This is stupid, calm down, we've talked about this a hundred times. It's not a big deal. You've seen each other naked before._ She repeated in her head. She'd told herself this repeatedly while standing in the bathroom putting on make-up for the Virgin knows why. Well, isn't that a total load, she knew exactly why.

Tara had received many comments and compliments on her new body since her transition, most pointedly from the male chosen who serviced her with his blood to get her through it - right before he offered her the rest of his body. But she only cared about what the two people waiting up on the roof thought.

What was the real reason she was hyperventilating in the bathroom, while her friends were waiting for her after two long months apart? Well, while it was very normal for a vampire to crave release after going through their change, that their mind would be focused on sex and blood ninety percent of the time, Tara's hunger was far more specifically directed. From the moment she opened her newly sharpened eyes she had only thought of _them._ The blood she wanted was theirs, the only sex she wanted was with them.

Over the past two months she spent away, Tara had come to admit to herself that she did have strong feelings for both of them, she just assumed that they'd go away with her childish figure, or in the least that she would have figured out which of them she truly loved. _Yes loved, I'm in love with them_ , she admitted, _fat lot of good it's going to do me now though. It will probably only make me lose my best friends._ She sighed.

At least she had one advantage; she had her little quirk. Tara was a decedent of Payne, and with that charming bloodline came an interesting set of skills, varying from vampire to vampire. In her tool belt so far: telepathy. Although Tara hadn't started training with Thrett yet she was beginning to get fragments of thoughts and could sense what those around her were feeling, like a flavor. She was hoping to use her 'gift' to feel things out, and hopefully navigate the emotional minefield to save the trio's friendship.

With that resolve Tara exited her bathroom, wearing the red zip-up hoodie and dark jeans she'd picked out from her newly stocked closet. The doggen had ordered the 'after' clothes, and she was happy to find out that they new her taste exactly. She walked down the long, high-ceilinged hallway of her family's wing to the central hall and on then to the main staircase. Descending to the ground level, she barely took in her familiar surroundings as she walked distractedly through the kitchen and out the doggen's separate entrance. A quick right and she was at the fire escape that led to their hideout.

About halfway up Tara started to register the feelings of the two already up there. Nervousness, amazement, excitement, and so many other jumbled emotions flooded down to her. But overriding them all was...lust. _Oh great so your going to have to watch the two people your in love with fuck each other instead of you, that is just..._ Tara became aware of the tingling between her legs mid-rant, _maybe it wouldn't be all bad after all_. Just as she had that last thought, she hopped over the lip of the roof, landing carefully, still a little unsure of her new body, and locked eyes with Dhayn.

He was huge, bigger than her by at least five inches and built like a Brother. His black long sleeve shirt and track pants covered his body but she could clearly see the muscles straining at the fabric over every part of him. Dear Virgin in the Fade he was sexy. He still looked like Dhayn, but with all his boyish attributes melted away, revealing one hell of a body and a face to swoon over. She let her gaze roam over him a few more times before returning to his eyes. His blue and green irises glowed like a neon sign as they stared back into hers. Tara started to walk toward him as a wave of lust blasted forward, and then another from her right. Her knees began to shake under the pressure of the emotions surrounding her. She closed her eyes and concentrated on only her own feelings, blocking out the other two. She opened her eyes slowly and looked over to Mel. Mel's smile when they made eye contact was fierce and hungry. _Was that second wave from her?_

Looking over Mel for the first time was surreal. She was so much more attractive than anything Tara's weeks of imagining had come up with. She was tall and lean, but you could see the muscles under her lightly tanned skin. The green T-shirt she was wearing was Mel's favorite, she'd loved it since she was a youngling, it used to belong to her sister Phyrie. It was now straining against a lovely pair of perfectly proportioned breasts. The color complimented her bronze eyes perfectly, making them glow in the dim candlelight. Her chestnut brown hair was worn down for once, long soft waves cascading over her shoulders. You could see her hard nipples straining against the fabric and Tara had the sudden urge to roll them between her fingertips. She shuddered in anticipation.

It was awkward just standing there, sexual tension building, but Tara could tell that none of them knew what to say or do. _They couldn't possibly feel the same for me as I do for them_ , Tara thought. _But what if they do?_ Her inner voice nudged her. She honed in on them one at a time as best she could and all she got was…a lot of the same things that were going through her mind. A grin spread across her face.

Mel, being typical Mel, broke the silence "So, D are you going to show us your abs or are we going to have to assume you didn't turn out as you so hoped?" she teased.

There was a ripping sound and a second later Dhayn's shirt was on the ground in pieces. Tara couldn't peel her eyes off of him. His wide chest was chiseled and his stomach was hard and defined. Everywhere that there could be muscle, there was, and a lot of it. She hadn't realized that both her and Mel were gawking until Dhayn pointed it out, followed by a low spoken demand of, "now your turn" in a new husky voice, and with pointed looks at the both females.

_So that's how it's going to be?_ Tara slowly and deliberately unzipped her sweater and then revealed one breast at a time, reveling in the glowing stares she got from her two would-be lovers. Mel was next, pulling her green T-shirt off and standing in her classic hands on hips stance. The tingling between Tara's legs began to pulse as she looked the two of them over. She swallowed thickly and felt her fangs pierce her bottom lip.

The tension began to build again as they stood staring at one another, not knowing what to say or do next. Tara was nervous, her palms began to sweat as she went over her options in her head. _I could play this little game as just that, a game. No risks, just make a joke out of how awkward this all is and get it over with. Or,_ she thought, swallowing hard again, _I see where the truth takes us._ Tara shuddered at the images that train of thought brought to her mind. Dhayn caught the motion and raised an eyebrow in question.

_Well, I didn't get to where I am today from taking the easy road, fuck it._ She took a deep breath and said, "Mel, D...I want to fuck you both, and I know for a fact..." she tapped her right temple for emphasis "that you both feel the same. So can we please lose the tension...and maybe the rest of our clothes?" She grinned suggestively.

They all laughed together, lightening the atmosphere, and slowly removed the remainder of their clothing. They stood there, the three of them completely naked, and completely turned on, Dhayn's huge throbbing shaft emphasizing the point, but still no one moved.

Tara still didn't know how to start. She thought of it just as Mel did. Mel walked over to her sound system and hit play. Urban beats began electrifying the air around them. Slowly they came together and started dancing like they always had, except when Dhayn was behind Tara she could feel his long hard shaft on her lower back. _Damn he was tall, and huge_. When Mel spun to face her, their nipples grazed each other. With a three-part moan, the dance progressed into something more.

Tara leaned in, and did what she'd been imagining for weeks; she kissed Mel. Her lips were soft and full, tasting of her favorite kiwi lip-gloss. Mel's tongue slipped between Tara's lips and she purred at the entrance. Dhayn began kissing along Tara's neck, grazing her with his fangs. _Oh sweet Virgin I want him to bite me, I want them both to._ As if he had heard her, he growled low in his throat sending shivers through Mel and Tara both. Mel's fangs were long, white and beautiful. Tara ran her tongue over them eliciting a sigh from Mel and a rush of spices to fill the air.

Tara broke the kiss to trail down Mel's neck with her fangs. She slowly bent down kissing her way over Mel's taught nipples, pulling one into her mouth experimentally and licking over the sensitive nub. She released it and continued kissing a trail down Mel's stomach right to her glistening core.

Once she gave her first slow lick Mel gasped, and Dhayn let out another growl. He grabbed Tara's hips and positioned his shaft at her entrance. She grabbed on to Mel's hips, that were still swaying to the music, for leverage as he slowly began to push into her. He stopped when he reached her barrier. Tara moaned and lifted her head to nod at him in encouragement. He thrust deep and fast, the pain harsh but quickly forgotten amidst the pleasure coursing through her entire body. He waited for her to nod again before slowly pulling himself all the way out and then thrusting forward again in a steady rhythm. It was a slow and beautiful torture.

Tara went back to exploring Mel and was rewarded by a series of moans and Mel's fingers tugging at her hair. She was like honey and apples, complimenting the spicy, almost cinnamon scent coming from Dhayn, and the vanilla lavender perfume emanating from Tara herself. Their muffled moans seemed to harmonize as Dhayn began kissing Mel, while still thrusting into Tara. All the while she teased, sucked and licked at Mel's core. When she ran her hand up Mel's inner thigh and slid first one, then two fingers deep into her, Mel's orgasm came crashing over her. They all peaked in succession with Dhayn's cock filling Tara with his seed and she shattered apart.

They collapsed on the cushions that were scattered on the floor and began to explore each other's bodies with their fingers, then with their lips. Dhayn entered Mel as Tara suckled her nipples and teased her body with her fangs, which were now throbbing. They were a tangle of hot flesh, wrapped around each other in a heated embrace.

Mel directed Tara to straddle her face so that she could get a taste. The strokes of her tongue made the fire in Tara's core spread all over her body building an orgasm that gripped just as Dhayn's hands came around to pinch her nipples. Tara's scream set of the ripple of release through the other two. Dhayn's fangs came down hard on her neck just as Mel's pierced the vein of her thigh. He offered Tara his wrist and she didn't hesitate, biting and taking deep pulls, savoring the flow down her throat. They all climaxed again, shuddering and moaning.

They kept going on this way for hours. They were always connected in some way, with one orgasm leading to the next, until the dawn alarm went off and announced the end of the night's pleasures. Only this would not be the end, far from it.

Tara had felt it as they dressed and made their way inside. It was unconventional, and confusing, but they were all connected, and there was no separating them. Although she could feel the awkwardness and realization starting to set in, she knew that they loved each other deeply, and equally. Hand in hand, they all went to Dhayn's room smelling of his bonding scent, ready to spend the day experiencing each other until sleep took them. Whatever tomorrow would bring, they would face it together.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**  
**

Dhayn woke up and only got a brief glimpse of his ceiling before he quickly closed his eyes again, eager to hold on to his latest dream. He had been on the rooftop with Tara and Mel doing, well doing everything he had ever dreamed of doing. He suddenly felt warm hands running up his legs and down his arms. _Still don't feel like my hands,_ he thought absentmindedly. He decided to embrace his dream-state.

"I thought he was finally awake." Mel's voice in his head sounded disappointed.

"Well, he certainly _looks_ awake. Maybe this will help bring him around." Tara's dream voice was husky. Dhayn didn't know why he couldn't see in his dream, but as something hot and wet started tracing trails up and down his cock he forgot his concerns and gently rocked his hips.

"Hmm, not enough. Mind if I join you?" Dream-Mel asked softly.

Dhayn basked in the pleasure as another teasing stroke encircled his sex. He craned his head back and arched into it, wanting more. The slow teasing continued and the sleepy fog started to lift from his mind. With a start, Dhayn's eyes flew open and he sat up. Tara and Mel moved back and looked up from either side of his hips. He groaned at the loss of contact.

"Fuck, that was real?" Dhayn was still having a hard time separating his fantasies from reality.

"As real as this." Mel arched one perfect eyebrow above her sparkling bronze eyes and grabbed onto his shaft. Dhayn's head fell back and he thrust into her palm.

"Sorry to wake you up D, but we don't have much time before everyone starts looking for us and we're…hungry." Tara blushed and bit her bottom lip. "Ow!" She released her lip and there were two small drops of blood where her fangs had pierced the delicate skin.

A deep growl made its way up Dhayn's throat, and before he knew what he was doing, he had grabbed the back of Tara's head and pulled her down to his mouth. He licked and sucked at her bottom lip, tangling his fingers in her hair as he deepened their kiss. He gasped and broke free when he felt Mel's tongue flick out and caress the tip of his cock. She took him into her mouth and Tara returned to his lips.

Dhayn knew he wasn't going to last long. He could feel the pressure building, and they weren't holding anything back. He came in shuddering waves, with Mel's delicate hands working him until he was spent.

The girls sighed and collapsed on either side of him, their hands roaming over his body and making desire stir in him again. He sat up and grabbed a pair of disregarded boxers from the end of the bed, slipping them on as he headed into the bathroom to clean up what he had released all over his stomach. After wiping himself down with a wet cloth, he headed back to the room, pausing in the doorway to turn off the bathroom light.

Tara and Mel had shifted closer together and were talking in whispers, nose to nose, fingertips dancing on bare skin. Mel reached up and tucked a stray hair behind Tara's ear. A gesture that was so simple, yet so intimate. _They look beautiful together_ Dhayn thought with a smile. Yet, as she trailed her fingers down Tara's neck and pulled her in for a kiss, there was an ache deep in his chest.

He quietly stepped back into the bathroom and shut the door, not knowing why, but feeling like he needed to give them time alone. He climbed into the shower, needing to clean up properly anyway, and shook off the feeling of unease as the water soothed both his muscles and his nerves.

Once he grew accustomed to the sound of the water beating down on him he started to pick up the muffled moans and sighs coming from the other room. He stared at the gold flecks in the black marble surrounding him and willed his mind to be blank. Breathing in deep he reached for his bottle of shampoo. As he brought it toward himself the sounds grew louder. Without thinking he clenched his fists, firing shampoo all over his face.

"Fuck!" Dhayn wiped at his face, only succeeding at getting more of the soap in his eyes.

"Dhayn…are you all right in there?" Tara poked her head in the door cautiously and giggled when she saw him. "I think he needs our help." She opened the door for Mel, and they strode in wearing two of Dhayn's shirts, and fuck if that didn't make him stand at attention.

Dhayn backed up under the spray to make room for them as they came across the floor toward him. He pressed his back against the wall, but when Tara opened the glass door it was suddenly clear that only one of them could fit in there with him. There was a beat of silence as they looked from one to the other, and that ache began again in his chest. Tara opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by a loud banging on his bedroom door.

Dhayn shut off the water and grabbed a towel from the rack, wrapping it around his waist. He stepped around the girls and into his room. Just as he reached for the door, it opened and Stehlth barged in wearing his grey workout gear and an angry scowl.

…

Mel pulled down on the hem of the T-shirt she was wearing. It had seemed huge when she put it on, but with another male in the room she felt practically naked. A glance at Tara told her she was feeling the same way. They were standing just outside the bathroom in Dhayn's room where they had been frozen ever since he had let his uncle through the door.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Stehlth slammed the door behind him and advanced on Dhayn. His gunmetal grey eyes were brimming with fury. Dhayn raised his hands up and slowly backed up in front of Mel and Tara.

"I don't know what's pissed you off, but I haven't done anything wrong here." Dhayn's voice was surprisingly level considering his defensive posture. Mel was impressed by his calm demeanor, and the curve of the muscles lining his back. The towel around his waist was riding low on his hips, giving Mel a distracting little glimpse of his muscular butt.

"Right, sneaking off and fucking the only daughter of your future commander, and his second's daughter as well." Stehlth continued to shout, "On their first night back, without seeking approval. That's no big fucking deal at all Dhaynger. Why would I possibly be upset that you may have destroyed your chances at becoming a Brother?" He began pacing and shoved a hand through his short black hair. "And possibly endangered your life, and mine when I inevitably stepped in to protect you!"

Mel's eyes were huge and her teeth clenched as she tried to calm her heart and her breathing. She hadn't thought about how her father would react, or Tara's for that matter. Damnit she hadn't thought about any of the consequences at all. She looked over at Tara as she squeezed her hand. The look of, _Oh Shit,_ written all over her face as well.

"I'm sorry Stehlth. I didn't think, I was…" Dhayn started.

"No, you obviously didn't think Dhaynger and we'll talk more about this later." Stehlth leaned around his nephew and looked apologetically at Tara before meeting Mel's eyes. "I'm sorry for my rudeness ladies, but you should probably leave, now. And wash up while you think of a good excuse for where you've been. I sent your parents on a detour to the training facility to buy you time, but we're talking seconds here." He stepped away from Dhayn and walked over to the bed. He threw Mel and Tara their clothes and started stripping off the bedding and shoving it down the laundry chute.

Mel furrowed her brow in confusion, while she shoved her feet into her pants, but she didn't have time to figure out his actions, as Tara dragged her out of the room. They broke out into a run, heading for their wing of the house, burgundy carpet blurring beneath their bare feet. As they reached the head of the main hallway Tara's death grip was starting to hurt Mel's hand.

"Hey Tara, I'd like to be able to use that hand again." Mel tugged a little on Tara's grip.

"Oh sorry, I guess I'm still not used to the new strength." A light blush crept up her cheeks as she dropped Mel's hand. The exchange had halted their mad dash, but Mel quickly recovered and started running toward her room. With Tara hot on her trail, Mel had an idea that she hoped would work.

"Shower very quickly, then put on dirty clothes." Mel said as they came up to her door.

"What? Why?"

"We've been out running, still are actually." Mel's heart sped up as Tara nodded her approval. "Rinse yourself off, throw on some workout gear, and run back here to meet up with me." Mel repeated.

"OK great idea." Tara jogged down the hall toward her room.

Mel slammed the door behind her, rushed over to the laundry chute and stripped off her pants and Dhayn's shirt, shoving them and the rest of the clothes she had been wearing into it. She hurried into her bathroom and didn't even wait for the water to warm up before she jumped under the spray and grabbed her soap. She made quick work of cleaning herself off and headed back out to her room praying that she hadn't unpacked her gym bag yet. She went over to her couch where she had thrown it _, good sign,_ and unzipped it to find a pair of black yoga pants, her black sports bra and a cherry red dry-fit T-shirt.

"Thank the Scribe Virgin!" She quickly threw the clothes on with a fresh pair of underwear and socks, _there's no need to overdo it,_ and had her shoes on just in time for Tara to barge through the door.

"Let's go!" Tara still looked scared out of her mind.

"Right behind you," Mel said with a smile, and then they were running.

They took the service staircase at the end of the hall and didn't hold back until they were outside. Tara was fast, but Mel was faster. She passed her on her right and gave an extra burst of energy to make it up the hill that stood in front of them.

The back yard of the mansion, if you could call it that, looked more like a golf course. It had to be twenty plus acres, Mel had never bothered to ask, and it was beautifully landscaped with hills, valleys, and a pond surrounded by weeping willow trees.

Mel turned and started running backward. She smiled teasingly at Tara who was still trying to catch up to her, and laughed at her determined glare. "Still can't catch me, can you Tara?" Mel turned and picked up her pace again, and with that, their plan became more of a game. All of the worry seeped from Mel's bones as they raced around the small pond and finally collapsed under one of the trees, laughing.

"OK so you're still faster," Tara admitted once she could catch her breath. Mel just smiled in response and got to her feet, offering Tara her hand. "Do you think that they cleaned up the roof too?" The unease was creeping back onto Tara's face.

"I hope so, no time to find out though, we need to make our grand reentrance and hope that our story holds." Mel started jogging back and this time she measured her pace so that they could arrive together.

"I can't believe I didn't think about how Thrett and Krym would react. Do you think Stehlth was right?" Tara asked with fear in her voice. "Would they punish Dhayn? Could I have messed up his chance at Brotherhood?"

" _We_ did this not just you, and no - I'm sure it's going to be fine, we're just going to have to be careful," Mel replied, trying to keep her own fear in check. I had seemed to good to be true.

"Maybe it is," Tara whispered. She reached the back entrance to the mansion and they entered the vestibule and scanned in before stepping through the back door.

…

The plan worked surprisingly well. Tara was exhausted from the running and the stress of the whole thing, but as she climbed into her shower for the second time that evening, she couldn't help but smile. She was glad that Mel was quick on her feet, both literally and figuratively.

Tara had let her do all the talking and was a little shocked when Thrett and Krym accepted their story without any suspicion. Although there really was no reason for them to question what they had been told, and they would never have suspected the truth. Tara could hardly believe it herself and she had been there, seen and felt the reality of it. Still the last twenty-four hours seemed like a dream.

She slowly massaged her favorite vanilla scented shampoo into her scalp, then tilted her head back under the steady spray coming out of the main shower-head, letting the rest of the adrenaline and stress wash with it down the drain. As she ran the conditioner through her hair she kept replaying what Stehlth had said to Dhayn; "… _you may have destroyed your chances at becoming a Brother, and possibly endangered your life…"_ Tara suppressed a shudder. Would her father really have tried to hurt Dhayn? Thrett was very protective of her for sure, and was known to have bit of a tempter, but would he go that far?

Tara thought of a glymera event not too long ago hosted by a council member, where a boy her age had been a little to touchy and ended up with a few broken fingers. Yes, Thrett was totally capable of crushing Dhayn, and Mel's father Krym…Tara shuddered as the reality of their actions sunk in.

She shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and running it over her damp body before twisting it up in her hair. She walked into her closet and picked out a pair of black yoga pants, simple black panties, and a new white tank-top. She threw them on, and headed into the bathroom again to pull back her wet hair.

The room had mostly emptied of the after-shower steam. Tara stared at herself in the mirror as she entered. Looking back at her was the reflection she was just starting to recognize as herself. Her body had changed so much, her face too, into something taller, stronger, and…prettier. She had to admit that it felt nice to look in the mirror and like what she saw. As she flicked on the vanity light she frowned _. Forgot the bra again_ , she mentally kicked herself. At least she noticed before going down to the dining room, _that was an embarrassing day I don't need to relive,_ she remembered with a shiver.

She had never bothered to wear a bra before her change, didn't see the need to when she was completely flat chested, and didn't have a mahmen to pressure her into it like Mel had. Unfortunately now she just couldn't get away with not wearing one if she didn't want to attract a whole lot of unwanted attention. Her aunt Daralis had been thrilled for her, saying that she had inherited her mahmen's ample chest. The double Ds were annoying and in the way, as far as Tara was concerned. Tara glared at her peaked nipples that were clearly visible through her tank-top as she pulled her hair into a high ponytail.

A knock on her door reminded her that she was supposed to be rushing. They were starting back at the training center that night, and she had already wasted a lot of time 'running with Mel.' She rushed into her closet; pulled off her shirt, put on the first bra she found, and shrugged the shirt back on.

Tara walked with Thrett down to the dining room to eat first meal. Unlike most nights, the whole household was sitting down together; Mehlisha, Krym and Cynthia; Dhaynger and Stehlth; and the two unmated Brothers; Tyrahnt and Huhnter. Tara and Thrett headed for their empty seats.

It was the first time that she had been in a room with the two other Brothers since her transition. They had been living in the mansion for about five years, and had always seemed a little distant to Tara. Tyrahnt was a rugged looking male, all muscles and danger. He had pale skin, with short auburn hair and deep green eyes. Huhnter was built more like an athlete than a body builder, with golden skin and eyes that matched the dark chocolate color of his tousled hair.

Tara smiled at Tyrahnt in greeting, but was taken back by his reaction. Where he would normally have given her a polite nod, he now gave her a slow smile, as he looked her over. His eyes burned a trail of awareness over her body. Tara hurriedly sat in her chair, dropping her gaze to her place-setting.

The emotional climate of the room swirled around her, and she could sense attraction and arousal riding above the usual hum. She immediately looked to Dhayn, but he was talking with Stehlth. Confused Tara surveyed the rest of the room. The emotions seemed to be coming mainly from Tyrahnt and Huhnter. The latter was directed at Mel, who was chatting with Huhnter between sips of her coffee. But the heat coming from Ty was just for her. Tara heard Thrett clear his throat and the emotions were immediately reigned in.

She shrugged off the change in moods, and smiled at the scent of food entering the room. She accepted a plate of chocolate chip pancakes and bacon from Marie, a petite and very shy doggen who was now Tara's favorite for agreeing to make the pancakes. She took her first bite of bacon and groaned in satisfaction. Apparently not the best idea, as Mel and Dhayn both visibly shifted in their seats. A smile tugged at the corner of Tara's mouth as she looked down to hide the blush that was no doubt creeping onto her cheeks. Fortunately, Cynthia interrupted at that moment. Mel's mahmen wanted to know all about Tara's summer.

Tara smiled politely at the female and decided she should probably put up her shields if she wanted to have any kind of normal conversation. Sensing all the feelings in the room could get very overwhelming, not to mention distracting. She concentrated the way he sire had taught her, and pulled in her senses until she could only feel her own emotions.

Thrett had made sure to take the time to teach her this small amount of control during his visits over the last few weeks of summer. He shared a similar set of skills, differing from Tara, but thankfully close enough that he could help her. He hadn't been able to spend a lot of time training her, but luckily Tara was a fast learner.

Before she had reined it in, Tara picked up Cynthia's excitement clearly above all the other emotions in the room. Pushing her curiosity aside, Tara kept her smile in place and began to tell the other female all about what she had seen and experienced over the summer break. It wasn't long before her smile was genuine. Now that Tara was home, and with the ones she loved, she could appreciate the gift her father had given her by making her spend the summer with the Chosen.

After two servings of pancakes and many stories traded back and forth between the three friends, Thrett subtly reminded Tara that they should be going. She had lost track of time, again. The three of them excused themselves from the table, chairs scraping the polished hardwood floors in their hurry to leave, and ran toward the tunnel to the training center.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 09**

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**

"It's funny how this hallway seems longer when you're late," Tara mused as they pushed through the second set of doors leading into the training facility. The dull concrete hallways were already filled with the soft murmur of voices coming from the gym. Dhayn looked over his shoulder, one side of his mouth pulling up into a sexy smile. Tara caught her breath and had to silence the steamy thoughts that his smile provoked. Her fingers itched to feel the smoothness of his freshly shaved face.

They reached the gym and she let Dhayn and Mel go in before her and followed their lead, creeping in silently. Luckily their entrance went unnoticed, as everyone was still standing around talking and catching up. A few familiar faces looked up and took notice of the threesome, but no one bothered to speak to them as they approached the main group.

"Now that we're all here." A low familiar voice spoke above all the murmurs in the room, sounding not at all bothered by the latecomers. "We can get started."

Tara breathed a sigh of relief and caught Mel's grin out of the corner of her eye. Everyone took their usual places around the gym, and at the command of their instructor, started on the usual warm-up exercises. Tara caught a few errant thoughts around her as she stretched and moved her body. At one thought in particular she straightened and glared at the male next to her, with a whispered, "you wish," she turned away from his stunned face and went back to work.

After the warm up Tara was starting to feel the effects of the last twenty-four hours. She was trying to keep a neutral look on her face to hide how exhausted she felt, but it slipped a little when the instructor started to pair them off for the next round of drills. Tara listened with dread as Mel and Dhayn were partnered, and turned to face the instructor to find out her fate.

"Tehrrify will partner with Intrudehr."

Tara's shoulders dropped and she took a deep breath to steady herself, before looking around the room for Tru. She scanned her classmates for his spiky blond head, but couldn't pick him out of the crowd. As the rest of them paired off, Tara looked around again, confused. Her eyes finally rested at last on the large muscular back and shoulders of a male standing across the room from her. He bent over to grab a towel from the ground and Tara couldn't help but appreciate how the fabric of his gym shorts clung to him. He stood and turned toward her. Looking up slowly she met his familiar eyes, set in a very unfamiliar face.

Tru was around the same height as Dhayn and just as muscular. He had let his blonde hair grow out a bit, the short shag softening his chiseled face. The gold flecks in his brown eyes sparkled as he took her in for the first time. He sauntered over to Tara and gave her a shy smile. Tara had to check herself. They hadn't seen each other in a long time, and although the time apart had made him a lot easier on the eyes, she wasn't about to forget what an ass he'd been in the past. Even if that ass was drool-worthy.

…

Tru let his eyes roam over Tara as he walked across the room to where she stood. She was tall and muscular in all the right places. Her figure was very much one of a female; her large breasts peaking out the top of her white tank top, and her low-rise yoga pants showing off a sliver of her toned stomach - but there was no mistaking the power in her stance, or the determination in her sapphire gaze. He had always had his eye on her because she stood up to him, but now he also wanted her on a more carnal level. He had a sudden flash of sparring with her in his bedchamber and tangling his hands in her long dark hair. He smiled at the mental picture.

Tru stopped a couple of feet away from her. She raised her eyebrow and gave him a smirk. _Was I that obvious,_ Tru shook it off. There was no way she could have known what he was thinking. He gave her an honest smile, and watched for her reaction to his fangs. Her eyes widened and she gave a little gasp that was barely audible. Tru felt the same tug in his chest that he had felt when she first walked into the room. He had found it increasingly hard to keep himself on the other side of the gym throughout the first half of the class, and almost cheered aloud when they were partnered.

He took another involuntary step toward her, not knowing why, but needing to touch her. He stopped himself short and broke eye contact with Tara. He didn't know what was going on, but all of the irrational emotions made him feel vulnerable, and that was not acceptable. He would not lose control - he was going to have to figure out how to deal with whatever was behind his emotions, and quickly.

"You okay Tru?" Tara looked up at him, confused.

"Ya, I'm cool, I'm just…" He searched her eyes for the reason behind the fluttering in his chest. Her voice had set it off, but why? "Thinking," he finished, and looked away.

"We are going to practice getting out of a reverse hold," their instructor started as he walked around the room. "One of you will grab your opponent from behind and attempt to secure them, while the other attempts to break free. Simple enough, but I want to see real effort here, no slacking off." At this he looked pointedly at Tru and gave a wicked grin. "Tehrrify and Intrudehr will demonstrate, give them room." He said, waving the others to take their places around the outside of the mats.

"Who will be the attacker?" Tru asked, not wanting to assume anything. He definitely didn't want to end up on that Brother's bad side. Even better matched in height and speed the male was still a force to be feared.

"You will go first and then we'll alternate," responded the older male.

Tara had already positioned herself facing away from Tru and took on a rigid stance as she waited for him to proceed. Tru felt the pressure return to his chest as he wrapped his long arms around her slender frame, his wrists brushing her large breasts, and was shocked at his instant arousal. He spread his stance, hoping to cover his reaction to her touch, and grabbed his own wrist in front of her to lock his hold. He had to work to keep his body away from her so that she wouldn't feel his attraction, but wanted nothing more than to pull her back against him.

"Don't you dare hold back on me," Tara whispered. "I can take all you've got." She elbowed him in the stomach to emphasize her point. _You asked for it._ Tru smiled to himself as he gave in to his urges and pulled her in tight to his body, squeezing her upper body and breathing in the scent of her hair. Vanilla and lavender filled his senses and he fought back a contented sigh. She smelled so good.

"I don't know about that Tara. I've got a lot to take." Tru pressed his hips forward to emphasize his point. She squirmed beneath his firm hold, her ass pinned against his hardness, and he had to suppress a moan.

"That's enough foreplay, begin!" Their instructor shouted.

Tru was shocked by the strength of the female in his arms, but she didn't break his hold on her. She started by attempting to use shear force to break the lock he had on his wrist, but when multiple tries didn't budge it, she moved on to a different tactic. Tru saw the muscles in her neck tense just in time to move his face away from her head-butt. The violence of that action overpowered his earlier hesitation. She had triggered his inner fighter, and now he was truly not holding back. He tightened his grip further. Tara squirmed and tried to drop out from under the hold but couldn't escape him.

Tru looked triumphantly over to their instructor for his signal to release her, but she caught the motion. With an enraged noise erupting out of her, she snaked her hand around her back and took hold of his groin. Pain and pleasure surged through his body.

Tru yelped and tried to keep a hold on her, but when she squeezed harder he released her enough to duck out from under his arms and roll away from him. They were both panting and he couldn't help the grimace he wore on his face as they glared at each other from across the mat.

"That, Tehrrify, is not one of the moves you have been taught here." Tru heard from behind him. "I would prefer it if you would fight fair in the future, unless you were trying to even the playing fields for the next match?" The taunting tone with which the instructor spoke caused an unexpected reaction from Tru, he felt protective of her. He straightened and turned to face him.

"It was a fare shot sir, I should have thought to cover…my bases," Tru said, earning a laugh from the older male.

"Alright then, switch." He made a circling motion with his hand. "And everyone else take your positions." He looked around the room and they all hurried to obey, some restraining, others readying to break free.

Tru already had his back to Tara and she didn't waste any time lunging at him. She kicked out his right leg, knocking him forward onto his knees, the blue mats softening the fall. A split second later she had his legs pinned under her own, and secured his arms by hooking their elbows and leaning away from him. Tru's shoulders started to burn from the restraint, but he waited for the whistle to try to break free.

The whistle finally blew and Tru tried to throw himself forward, then to the sides, but Tara was countering his movements. His shoulders threatened to dislocate if he pulled any harder. So he opted for a new strategy. Tru threw himself back into her, but she met him with her shoulder and clamped her teeth to his throat. Tru froze, heat coursing through his body in a mixture of danger and desire. The sounds of the other fights in the room dimmed when he felt her fangs elongate as she bit down lightly, issuing her threat, but not breaking his skin.

"Yield." Tara growled into his neck. The flick of her tongue on his flesh as she spoke sent shivers running down his spine. Tru's instincts were warring for dominance. A part of him raged to be free, but another deeper part of him wanted her to bite, to feed from him.

He caught himself and focused on the fight, blocking out the other. He started shifting his body slightly, only small movements, trying to find a weakness. His arms were still pinned behind his back, but as he moved his right arm his hand brushed Tara's inner thigh and he felt her stiffen. Sensing an opening, he gently ran his fingers up her leg until he felt the heat of her sex through the thin material of her pants.

She jerked but held strong, a low growl climbing up her throat. Tru smiled, knowing he had found her weakness. He began making soft strokes over her core, as his left hand reached up to tease her breast. It was an awkward position, but he felt her hold on him start to weaken as her fangs threatened his throat. Tara writhed and squirmed trying to avoid his hands, but keep control of him. Just as he was about to make his move to break her hold on him, a scent penetrated his concentration. Tara was aroused.

Without conscious thought, that deeper part of him took over. Instead of breaking her hold as he'd planned, he thrust his neck into her bite, breaking the skin. He felt the sting of her fangs sinking deep into flesh and her lips against his skin, but before even one draw could come from her mouth, she was pulled off of him and Tru was tackled to the mat. He was pinned by someone much heavier than Tara, and looked up just in time to see Dhaynger's fist. Pain exploded along the left side of his face. Tru caught the second punch and threw one of his own, catching Dhaynger in the jaw, and sending him backward. Both males scrambled to their feet and charged.

"Enough!" A cold blast accompanied the command from their instructor, who's eyes were now black as slate. Their classmates pulled the males away from each other, but the hostility still hung in the air. Tru's hands were clenched into fists, and he looked over to find Dhaynger's were the same. "Explain." The instructor pinned Tru with his midnight stare.

"I don't know sir, I was sparring with Tehrrify, and then out of nowhere he tackled me and started throwing punches." Tru glared at Dhaynger.

"Dhaynger?" The instructor crossed his arms and turned to the other male.

"He was making my…her…" Dhaynger shook his head and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "He made Tara take his vein." He looked pointedly at Tru's neck. A small amount of blood still seeped from the place where Tara had bitten him.

All of the other classmates were ordered out of the room, leaving Tru, Tara and Dhaynger to face their punishment. The instructor returned from closing the door and looked them over. His eyes returned to their usual golden hue. That alone put Tru at ease.

"Tehrrify, are you hurt?" he asked. She shook her head. "Was biting Intrudehr intentional?" Again she shook her head, looking at the floor. "Then you can go. Good work today."

Tara's head snapped up, her mouth opened in shock. "Th-thank you," she stammered, and then swiftly exited the gym.

When the door closed behind her both Tru and Dhaynger began to talk over each other in an effort to excuse their actions, but the older male's raised hands cut them off.

"This is not the first time males have fought over a female." He gave a small knowing smile. "But it will be the last time it will happen in my class. This is a training facility and you two will respect that, or you will no longer be welcome to train here." He paused again. "Am I understood?"

"Yes sir," they said in unison.

"Good. Now go get cleaned up, I'll see you tomorrow." He didn't leave the room, but waited until the males had left peacefully.

Tru went straight to the bus. The others had already showered and were waiting for him to go home. He was thankful for the excuse to wait. With Tara's bite still slightly tingling as it healed, and desire coursing through him, it would have been a very awkward shower.

The bus lurched forward and the partition at the front was drawn closed, blocking off the only window that wasn't blacked out. A precaution not to block the sun, which was a few hours from rising yet, but for the secrecy of the facility's location. Tru settled into his seat and closed his eyes. He must have drifted off to sleep, because the next thing he knew; he was being woken up by the noise of the others exiting the bus. He rubbed his eyes as he stepped off the bus into the parking lot and headed for his navy blue pickup.

Tru climbed into the cab and threw his gym bag on the passenger seat. He put the windows down, enjoying the late summer breeze as he headed home. It wasn't a far drive from the drop-off point to the four-bedroom ranch where he lived with his sister Kaelyn, and her mate Dehryn.

He drove around the back of the house to the barn. They didn't own any horses, nor did they plan to in the future, so Tru had helped Dehryn convert the barn into a massive garage over the summer. After pushing the automatic opener, he pulled into the garage and killed the engine. Part of the reconstruction had included the addition of a tunnel connecting the garage to the back entrance of the house. Tru waited until the automatic door was closed and secure and then went through the tunnel.

The back door opened into the large kitchen and eating area that made up the heart of the house. On the opposite wall was a large two-sided fireplace, with the open-concept living and family rooms on the other side of the stone wall encasing it. The bedrooms branched off from the main living areas, two on either side.

Tru shoved his keys in his pocket and walked over to where his sister stood with her back to him, her blond ponytail swaying as she cut carrots on the counter against the far wall. Dehryn wanted to hire doggen but Kaelyn wouldn't hear of it. She loved to cook. She even took night classes at one of the local culinary schools for fun over the summer.

"Need any help?" He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug.

"Nope, almost done." She smiled up at him, and then scrunched her nose. "You stink, go shower before dinner." She jumped and put her free hand to her round belly stretching the front of her modest purple sundress.

Tru stared at her hand, worried. "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

Kaelyn grabbed his big hand in her much smaller one, and pressed it just above her bellybutton. "Just kicking. Tiny has been going at it today." Tru felt the light nudge on the palm of his hand, followed by a stronger kick, and a smile broke out across his face.

"I felt it!" He stared down in wonder at what would one day be his niece or nephew. "Definitely a fighter." He smiled and dodged Kaelyn's smack.

"Don't start. No child of mine is going anywhere near that training facility." She picked up her knife from the cutting board and pointed toward Tru's room. "Go shower, I'll call when everything's ready."

Tru knelt down so that his face was level with the baby and whispered, "Don't worry I'll work on her tiny warrior." She pointed the knife at him and raised an eyebrow. "Okay I'm going." Tru stood and walked toward the door. When he got there he grabbed the frame and turned. "Hey Kay, I thought of a name. What about Rylan?"

She looked up from the pot she was adding the carrots to. "For a boy or a girl?"

"Either."

"Rylan. Hmm, I like it. Ry-lan…yep it fits. We'll see what Dehryn thinks, but I'm sure he'll love it." She gave him a smile and went back to her stirring.

Tru walked through the living room and down the short hallway to the last door on the right. Once in his room he dropped his keys and wallet on his dresser and stripped off his clothes. He shoved them into his hamper, which had just about reached its limit. Kaelyn might brave the cooking, but Tru had to do his own laundry. He resolved to do it after dinner and headed into his bathroom to take a much needed shower.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

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**

Dhayn ran through the hallways and took the stairs three at a time, heading straight for Tara's room. He didn't bother knocking, just walked into the room. Mel was sitting on the brown leather couch watching something on the TV mounted above Tara's long mahogany dresser, still in her workout gear. The brown and pink satin covered four-poster across the room caught his eye, but Dhayn shoved aside the temptation and crossed the room to sit beside Mel. He could hear the water running in the bathroom behind the closed door.

"She said she needed to shower first, before she'd talk about it." Mel said, shrugging her shoulders and setting the remote down on the low matching mahogany coffee table.

Shifting to face him, Mel leaned against the arm of the couch and put her feet in his lap. Dhayn grabbed a foot and began massaging circles into the sole. Mel moaned and dropped her head back. He smiled and applied pressure to the arch. Mel let out contented sighs as he worked over her pretty little foot, the bright red nail-polish bringing back pleasant memories of _before_ \- when things weren't as complicated. He switched to the other foot and then moved on to her calves. As he started to massage her thighs; heat spread through his body unbidden, and he could feel himself hardening in response to her little noises of pleasure. Mel looked at him then, fire in her copper eyes, and slowly licked her lips.

Dhayn slid his hands up her legs and tugged off her workout shorts and red panties. He grabbed her knees and threw them over his shoulders, and lowered his face to her core. She was already glistening with her arousal as he entered her with his tongue. He alternated slow penetrations with teasing licks over her sensitive nub, until she arched up into him with her orgasm.

He lowered her legs and met her heavy-lidded stare. He crawled up her body, kissing a trail along the way. When he reached her lips he kissed her deep and slow. Dhayn could feel something simmering deep inside of hi - _Mine_ \- it was scratching to get to the surface, but he hadn't forgotten Stehlth's warning. He pulled back to make sure he was still in control of his bonding instincts.

He had to control this. He couldn't even imagine a life where he wasn't a Brother and his uncle's words still rung in his ears - a threat, a warning, and one he would have to head until they figured this thing out. Mel looked up at him, puzzled at his hesitancy.

There was a click as the bathroom door opened, and Tara came out in a small white towel that barely covered her. Dhayn looked from her to Mel. He wanted to run to Tara, to claim her, to protect her, but he didn't want to abandon Mel in such an intimate state. Something deep in his chest felt like it was ripping in two. Mel seemed to understand his inner struggle and nodded for him to go to Tara. He crossed the room in an instant to where Tara had frozen in her step.

"Are you OK?" Dhayn wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, and then pulled back slightly to look at her face.

She was still holding her towel up, her skin flushed a delicate shade of pink from her shower, and her sapphire gaze was searching his. Mel walked by, and kissed Tara's cheek on her way into the bathroom. She closed the door and seconds later Dhayn heard the sound of the shower starting up again.

"I'm sorry about what happened with Tru..." Tara began, but Dhayn cut her off.

"Hey don't worry about it. You didn't want to bite him." He cupped her cheek with his hand and traced her lips with his thumb. She swallowed and looked away.

"No, it was just part of my submission hold, but then he was touching me…and then I…" Her blush deepened. "Well, you must have sme…"

Dhayn cut her off with his lips, and she was eager to respond, clinging to his shoulder with her free hand, her grip bordering on the edge of pain and pleasure. Their kiss deepened, their tongues dancing, and when she reached up to tangle her hands in his hair, her towel dropped to the floor. Dhayn broke their kiss and Tara whimpered. He smiled at her and removed his shirt before returning to her lips. Next he shrugged off his shorts and boxers, his erection springing free, bobbing against her tight stomach.

Tara purred and used her arms to hoist herself up around his waist, wrapping her legs around him and taking him into her sheath in one smooth motion. She cried out and began rocking her hips, pulling him only halfway out before driving him back in to the hilt. Dhayn held her rear with both hands as he helped her ride him. He let her have control, using all of his to dominate his need to claim her. Her breathing quickened as her climax built until his shouts of release pushed her over the edge, clenching and milking him. Dhayn felt her fangs pierce his neck and another orgasm rocked him. He fell back onto Tara's bed, letting her take all that she needed from him.

It may have been minutes or hours later that Dhayn felt her pull back and slowly run her tongue over the puncture wounds. Once both of their heartbeats had slowed Tara curled up under his arm. Dhayn couldn't quite relax, as rigid as he was with the effort to reign himself it. Mel came out of the bathroom with moisture still clinging to her hair and skin, and strolled over to the bed and it nearly undid him. She claimed her spot on Dhayn's other side. Dhayn let them lay like that for a short while, willing himself to relax, before suggesting that they meet somewhere else to avoid any more _complications_ should they be found. It still took everything he had to leave them. He headed to his room to shower and get changed.

He was about half way to his room, just approaching the study off of the main staircase, when he ran into Stehlth and Thrett. Dhayn nodded respectfully in greeting as he passed them. His uncle glared at him as he walked by. Dhayn chanced a look over his shoulder just as Thrett stiffened in the doorway and turned back to face Dhayn, his nostrils flaring. Dhayn knew what scent had given him pause; sex and two very familiar females lingered on his skin. _Why didn't I shower before I left her room?_ Dhayn faced forward again, intending to continue on as if nothing had happened - but suddenly Thrett was in front of him. His eyes, the same sapphire blue as Tara's, were aflame with anger. His hands clamped down painfully on Dhayn's shoulders.

Stiffening, Dhayn had to push aside all of his instincts to fight. Any act of violence, or even resistance at this point would not only be futile, but deadly as well. This was his commander, and he had the look of death in his eyes. Dhayn winced as the cold metal of Thrett's dagger suddenly pressed against his jugular. _Why isn't Stehlth helping me?_ Dhayn thought in a panic. He could no longer see Stehlth, but his uncle was standing barely two feet away and he had yet to make a sound in protest. Dhayn started in shock when he felt another blade settle on his neck, and a strong arm encase his chest from behind.

"I've got him Thrett. Why don't you step back? Let your head clear." Stehlth's voice was surprisingly calm in Dhayn's ear.

_What is he doing?_ Dhayn watched, frozen, as the flames withdrew from Thrett's eyes. Thrett took a step back but kept his dagger at his side, ready to reengage. Dhayn tried to shrug his uncle off, and was met by greater resistance and a sharp pain where Stehlth's dagger broke the skin of his neck. He clenched his jaw and forced his muscles to remain still, focusing on Thrett to keep himself from lashing out at Stehlth.

"You will stay away from my daughter." Thrett pointed his dagger at Dhayn's heart.

Dhayn swallowed his shock. "I don't know if I can do that Sir, I love her."

"Do not speak to me of love. I can sense and smell another female on you, an insult not only to my daughter, but to me. You will stay away from her. That's not a request, that's an order." Thrett sheathed his dagger as he turned back to the study.

"But sir…" Dhayn shut up as Stehth's blade bit deeper into his skin. His uncle's hoarse whisper cutting of his objection.

"If you still want a chance to become a Brother, I suggest you learn to obey the orders of your commanding officer. Understood?" Dhayn nodded, and flinched away from the blade.

Stehlth released his hold on Dhayn and followed Thrett through the door. Dhayn backed away until his back hit the opposite wall and sunk to the floor, feeling numb and dizzy. He pressed his hand to the wound on his neck and winced in pain. There was a murmur of voices from behind the now closed door across the hall, but he couldn't make out any words. His mind was clouded with turmoil, his neck throbbed, and his chest felt too tight. _I knew it was all too good to last,_ he thought. A doggen rounded the corner and rushed toward him, concern evident on his face. Dhayn raised his hand to ward him off, but there was bright crimson blood covering his fingers.

He allowed the doggen to follow him to his room and although the cut had already begun healing, he accepted the bandage so he could be left alone with his pain. The doggen had given him a mug of something for the already healing neck wound and the headache, but nothing could touch the heavy weight crushing his heart.

…

Mel looked at her watch again; he was over an hour late. Dhayn wasn't the most punctual male she knew, but he was never more than a few minutes behind. Letting out a sigh of irritation, Mel braced herself on the arms of her chair to stand up. She paced in front of the large white screen nestled into the wall. The small theatre smelled of popcorn and cotton candy, no doubt the doggen would bring both in shortly. The two rows of plush reclining chairs sat empty but for the blanket Tara had left behind when she went looking for Dhayn. Mel heard footsteps echo from the hall outside the theater room, one set. Mel walked over and opened the door for Tara.

"So what took you so long, did he fall asleep?" Mel started, and then she registered the concerned look draining the life from Tara's face. "What's wrong?" Mel grabbed Tara's hand as her heart started to flutter.

"I don't know." Tara looked up and seemed to search Mel's eyes for the answer. "I went to his room, but the door was locked. I could feel waves of misery pulsing from him, but he wouldn't let me in." Tara's eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "Then Stehlth came by and told me that Dhayn needed some space. So I left."

Mel squeezed Tara's hand. "Come on, I'm sure everything's fine. He'll explain it all tomorrow." Mel was trying to convince herself as much as Tara. She pulled Tara into the theater and sat down in their seats. "Let's just watch the movie, and then get some rest. You know Dhayn would have hated the chick flick we picked anyway." She smiled, but Tara still looked concerned.

Mel felt a tug in her heart. When Tara hurt, it was as though she shared her pain. Mel squeezed her hand again and caught her eye. Holding her gaze, she opened her feelings to Tara. Her throat felt thick and her heart heavy as she let her emotions sweep to the surface. Love and longing overwhelmed her as she chanted in her head; _it's going to be all right._ Tara's fear melted from her eyes and a smile formed on her soft lips. Mel reached up and ran her fingers over Tara's bottom lip. Trailing across her cheek and resting her hand behind Tara's head, Mel leaned in to press their foreheads together. She watched Tara relax and gently brought their lips together in a soft kiss. Warmth spread throughout Mel's body and she sighed as she pulled back.

"Thank you." Tara said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

"Anytime." Mel brought her hand down to clutch Tara's. "Now lets watch our sappy movie."

She fiddled with the controls on the armrest until the lights dimmed and the picture flared to life on the big screen. Mel relaxed into her seat and let the movie sweep her away.

...

Tara didn't have to wait long for her answers to find her. After her movie night with Mel she had swung by her room to pull her hair back before Last meal and found a note from her father waiting on the end of her bed.

_Tehrrify,_

_I require a meeting with you in my study._

_Thrett_

Tara swallowed back the tingle of fear that rose up at the formal tone and insignia. _Looks like the cat's out of the bag_ , she thought with a grimace. Tossing the note on her dresser she headed down the hall to her father's study. She knocked lightly on the closed door and waited to hear his reply.

"Enter." Thrett's low monotone ushered in another wave of unease.

Tara opened the door and walked into the room. The walls of the moderate space were lined with cedar bookshelves that reached up to the ten foot ceilings. The shelves were overflowing with a wide variety of books, from ancient tales of the Old Country in worn leather binding, to the most recent copies of Armed and Armored. Tara still couldn't believe that they used to use paper made from trees to print books on. It seemed like such a waste. The poly-composite fibers they used for hardcopies now were one hundred percent recycled material, and lasted ten times longer than traditional paper.

"Sit." Her father's voice pulled her out of her reverie.

Tara made her way over to one of the leather chairs facing Thrett's huge gleaming cedar desk. The whole room seemed to be a waste of trees. He was working on his desktop tablet but looked up once she was seated.

"I'm guessing you know why you're here?" He crossed his massive arms over his chest and gave her a serious look.

"I think so, yes." Tara swallowed to help her parched throat. "I was with Dhayn and..."

"Stop," he interrupted, "I don't want details. This is over now Tehrrify. You will not continue to share a bed with Dhaynger."

"What? But Daddy I..."

"No!" He slammed his fist down on the desk in front of him, the cup of pens tipped over and clashed to the floor. "Do _not_ Daddy me. You are my daughter, yes, but you are also a warrior under my command and I am ordering you to cease your frivolous relationship with that _boy_." The anger burning in his eyes gave Tara pause, but her heart was wrenching out of her chest at the thought of losing Dhayn.

"He is not a _boy_ anymore sire, and you have to understand, you..."

"Enough! I will not have you made out as a scarlet. That boy dares walk my halls wearing your scent and another's? For that insult alone I could cast him out of these walls." Thrett's face was turning an ugly shade of red.

"No, you can't, please daddy, I know about him and Mel, I'm okay with it. We're...we...I love him." Her response was jumbled and her argument weak, the lump in her throat was making it hard for her to breathe. Tara felt the tears running down her cheeks before she could stop them. She brushed them away quickly, hating to show weakness.

"Tehrrify you know not of love. If Dhaynger truly loves you than he would not dishonor you in a way such as this. It is an insult to you, me, and our bloodline for him to behave as such. Our race chooses but one mate, and we honor that bond with our faithfulness. You and he are both young, with raging emotions and hormones, that fact alone keeps me from punishing him for his ignorance - I have been there." His shoulders released some tension as he leaned forward.

"If it is love between you, than he will choose you, and mate you when the time comes. He is a male with great potential, but if he hopes to become a Brother, or a _son_ to me, he will have to earn my respect. You will do him no favor by encouraging this behavior."

"But I..." Tara's words drifted off. Was he right? Should Dhayn have to choose? Should Tara? She had never really thought it through; you can only mate one vampire after-all. That was the way it had always been.

"I'm only doing this because I love you Tara. You know that right?"

Tara looked up at her sire, and although she was still furious inside, she couldn't deny the sincerity behind his words.

"Then let me be with who _I_ love," Tara pleaded.

"If you choose him, and he you in return, I will not stand in the way. Even if the thought of you with a male makes me see red, I will see my daughter happy. But until that day he will not share your bed. Not under my roof. Am I understood?"

"Yes." It was all Tara could manage to say in return. It wasn't the last she would say on the matter, but how could she fight him on this when there was doubt in her own heart?


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

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Mel absentmindedly picked at the clear nail polish on her thumbnail as she waited for Tara and D to meet her on the rooftop. Something was up and she was tired of waiting for answers. It had been a whole week since the night Tara came to Last Meal looking like someone had died, and Mel still didn't know what the hell was going on. Tara and D had been distant and seemed to be avoiding Mel ever since. Sure she had seen them at meals and in the training facility, but every time she tried to get them alone something would come up.

She paced the length of the small rooftop hideaway, a cool breeze was ripple through the huge mature trees surrounding the mansion. She could see the change in the leaves, even in the dull moonlight. The oranges and reds all turned to shades of brown. She peered out over the back lawn, the pond was stirring from the wind, covering it in silvery ripples.

She tried to let the beautiful scenery calm her, but nervous energy kept her on edge. _Why are't they here yet?_ Mel flopped down onto one of the wicker couches and ran her hand through her long wavy hair. The panic that had been slowly building over the last couple of days was bubbling just below the surface. She hadn't thought much of it at first, the meaning behind their separation, but after a couple of days the panic set in. Were they done with her? Had they chosen each other over her and just didn't know how to break it to her?

Mel's inner turmoil was interrupted by Tara's arrival on the rooftop. She was silent grace as usual, one minute Mel was by herself and the next Tara's lithe form was landing softly on the balls of her feet a mere five feet away. Mel's automatic reaction was to run to her and embrace her, but the reservation on Tara's face kept Mel rooted to the couch.

Tara took a step forward, opening her mouth to speak, when D hopped over the ledge and landed beside her. Mel watched as his hand brushed hers and their bodies swayed toward each other. _So this is it then_ , she thought to herself. She was going to have to move. There was no way that she could remain in the mansion, living with the two people whom she loved, but rejected her.

D took a step away from Tara then, and walked around her to the single chair facing Mel. There was such an awkward tension emanating from both of them that Mel couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"Please just spit it out. You two don't want me anymore right?" Just saying the words out loud made Mel cringe. Her heart was heavy with sadness, and her throat felt thick.

"No!" Tara and D said in unison.

"Thrett said that I..."

"My father said that..."

They both talked over each other. D offered Tara the floor, and she came to sit beside Mel as she gave her explanation.

"My father ordered me to stop seeing you and Dhayn. Well, just Dhayn actually, but I thought that maybe you and he would...and then I wouldn't be able...it's just so hard to be around you without..." Tara stumbled through her words, her hand grasping at Mel's.

"Thrett ordered me to stay away from Tara and my uncle backed him up. The fucker sliced into my neck with his fucking dagger after the last time we were together. I didn't know what to do. I can't disobey a direct order, especially not right now, before the trials...I can't stand not being with you," he looked at both girls intently, "but being a Brother is all I have ever wanted..." he drifted off, shame written on his face.

"This is bullshit!" Mel raised her voice and got to her feet. "They can't tell us who to fucking be with, that's not right." Mel was seething, and all her pent up anger and frustration needed an outlet soon or she was going go explode.

"Calm down Mel, we can figure something out." Tara got up to put a hand on her shoulder. Immediately the anger within her shifted, and heat stirred deep within. It had been a very lonely seven days.

Mel looked between her best friends and searched her brain for the right thing to do. So Thrett was holding the Brother card over their heads to keep them in line. But what about after they were inducted? Surely they could petition their right to choose their own mate, or mates in this case. They could wait, it wouldn't kill them to be platonic for a couple of months.

"Then we wait," Mel said plainly. Both of her lovers looked up at her in confusion. "What? It's not like we haven't had practice in waiting to be together."

"You don't understand Mel." Tara turned to look at Dhayn. "Thrett made it pretty clear that there was no future for the _three_ of us, that somehow, one of us is going to have to choose."

"I can't do that." D dropped his head into his hands.

"One step at a time," Mel walked over and crouched in front of him. "We make it through the rest of our training and then we tackle Thrett and his ridiculous rules, together, as part of the Brotherhood."

"Together," D agreed. He looked up into Mel's eyes, stirring the fire deep within her. Mel's core started to throb with the rapid beats of her heart.

"You two could still...I mean he just that Dhayn had to stop being with me..." Tara spoke softly from her perch on the couch.

"That's not fair to you." Mel turned to look at her other half. Her body screamed for release, but she knew that it would kill Tara to watch her and D together while she waited for months, if not years.

"No, it wouldn't," Tara said, piercing Mel with a heated stare. She shifted slightly on the couch and rubbed her thighs together.

"What wouldn't?" D asked.

"I think I would like it." Tara drew in her bottom lip, and Mel felt warmth pool between her legs at what she was insinuating.

Mel raised an eyebrow in question. Apparently Tara's gift had progressed passed mere reading of emotions. She was going to have to explain herself later.

"I will," Tara replied, but the words weren't spoken aloud, but in Mel's mind. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" D's agitated voice drew Mel's attention away from Tara.

"She wants to experiment with her voyeuristic side." Mel smiled at D and ran a hand up slowly up his thigh. The huge muscle beneath her palm flexed in surprise.

"Her what?" D asked, his breath catching in his throat as Mel's fingers grazed the hard ridge of his erection.

…

"I want to watch." Tara reclined on the couch and slipped a hand under the waist of her yoga pants. She was already wet from the onslaught of sexual vibes being thrown off of the other two, even before she had thought of watching them together. They hadn't really thought of a solution, but one thing was for sure; they all needed release, and badly. Tara was learning how to shut out the thoughts and emotions around her, but she didn't want to shut them out when she was with Dhayn and Mel, she wanted to take her lovers into her the only way she could and submerge herself in their lust - their love.

"Oh fuck!" Dhayn moaned, as Mel squeezed his shaft through his denim clad legs.

Tara watched as Mel unfastened his jeans and reached in to release his cock. Tara slipped her middle finger through her slick folds as his large shaft sprung free. Mel looked over for reassurance, so Tara slowly licked her lips and nodded. Mel wrapped her lips around the head of Dhayn's cock and slowly took him into her mouth. His moans were music to Tara's ears, feeding her lust as she teased the sensitive nub of her sex.

Heat curled up her body as she was filled with the sensations of her own pleasure and surrounded by theirs as well. Tara was shocked at how quickly her orgasm overtook her. She threw her head back and moaned, dipping two of her fingers into her pulsing sheath.

The growl from across the roof brought her attention back to Mel and Dhayn, where they had stopped to watch her. Dhayn flashed his long white fangs as he growled again, and started thrusting up into Mel's mouth. Tara felt her arousal stir again as she watched Mel try to keep up with his rhythm, but he was too frenzied in his thrusts and Tara knew what he needed - what she now craved to see.

"On the table Mel, I want you on your hands and knees, on the table." Tara pointed to the coffee table in the center of the space.

Dhayn didn't wait for her reply, lifting her up with one arm and swiftly pulling off her shorts with the other. Mel positioned herself on the tabletop on all fours so that Tara wouldn't miss a thing. Tara started pumping her fingers into her channel as Dhayn grabbed Mel's hips and drove into her from behind. Mel let out a satisfied scream as he pumped into her with rapid thrusts. Tara could feel their climaxes building in the currents of lust and need rolling over her, amping up her own arousal until she came again in shuddering waves. Mel and Dhayn followed immediately after, moaning and panting as his thrusts slowed and they both milked out their release.

Tara slid her hand out from under her waistband and smiled shyly as Mel climbed down from the table, and fixed her with a greedy stare. Tara didn't need to probe into Mel's mind to decipher her thoughts, she was projecting them loud and clear. _I want you,_ Mel's sultry mental tone slid down Tara's spine. She bit her bottom lip, piercing it with her elongated fangs and drawing two drops of blood to the surface. Tara licked her lips in response, her body awakening to the need for her lover.

As Tara was about to take Mel up on her offer, a subtle breeze picked up - gently blowing the fragrance of Mel's arousal and the unmistakable musk of Dhayn's bonding scent over Tara's heated body. She stilled, breathing in the inviting, but forbidden scents.

"I can't." Tara held a hand up to caution Mel. "You carry his scent."

"Right." Mel looked down at herself, and then to Dhayn. "But if I had been with you first..."

"You would carry hers." Dhayn gestured to Tara with longing in his eyes.

"We'll figure something out," Tara promised.

The myriad of emotions swirling around her surged, jumbling her thoughts - hope, longing, fear, love. She concentrated on closing them out, until only her own emotions remained. When she opened her eyes again both of her lovers had dressed. She rose to her feet, shaky with the need still coursing through her veins. She would have to figure something out, and soon, because holding herself back from those two was taking everything she had.

…

Dhayn clenched his jaw as he held himself back from touching Tara. Even though she was only a couple of feet away it felt like an ocean between them. It was a cruel kind of torture to be so close to someone he loved, yet unable to touch her. He wanted to express the yearning deep inside of him, and to feel her loving him in return. As Mel pressed her lips to his shoulder his mind was in turmoil. Was he not grateful for the love he did have? His love for Mel was just as strong, and given to him without consequence, should that be enough?

He watched Tara cross the rooftop and climb over the edge onto the ladder. Mel followed, ushering him forward by his hand. He climbed down the familiar ladder and walked through the rear entrance of the house while lost in thought, a route so often travelled that he could probably do it blindfolded. He was brought up short by Mel's hand on his chest. Looking around the empty hallway he searched for the cause of their delay. Tara was no longer with them, but he could hear her voice coming from around the next corner.

"...just talking daddy, don't worry. What, am I not allowed to be friends with him now?"

"Don't think me a fool Tehrrify. Friendship yes, but that boy has other intentions. If I need to split you two up I will."

Dhayn clenched his teeth as his urge to fight for his female rose up to the surface. No one would take her away from him, not even her sire. Mel's grip on his shoulder brought his attention back to her, and he could smell his bonding scent surrounding him, and clinging now to her skin. He could see the fear in her eyes, the warning she was trying to give him with her golden stare and creased brow - he didn't need to hear her thoughts like Tara to decipher what she was throwing his way. He reached up and traced a finger over her forehead, smoothing the lines of worry from her face.

"Don't fight him D please," she whispered. "I don't want to lose you over your pride."

Although her words stung, Dhayn couldn't refute them. What good would come of challenging his commander? What was another two months of waiting compared to the years he had waited so far? He nodded to Mel and relaxed his stance. His jaw ached from clenching, and his fingers buzzed with the return of blood to his fingertips as he released the fists he hadn't realized he was making.

"Are we completely selfish to want her too?" Mel asked, looking miserably down at her feet.

"I didn't choose this, and neither did you." Dhayn lifted Mel's chin to stare into her eyes. "I feel it in my bones, we were meant for each other."

"I used to think so too, but now it seems so...impossible." Mel's bronze gaze flooded with emotion barely kept in check.

"We'll figure it out," Dhayn said as he pulled her into his embrace. He was grateful that Mel didn't have Tara's gift as they walked out into the now empty hallway, his back straight and his arm sure and strong around her shoulders - because he knew she needed his confidence, and inside he had no idea how they were going to work this out. But he had to believe they would...somehow.

As they entered the dining hall, filled with their families and brothers in arms, Dhayn could feel the weight of Thrett's stare boring into him, analyzing the possessive way he held Mel close to his body. It was a strange fight of instinct and will inside of Dhayn's mind - wanting to stake his claim on Mel, while also proving his intent toward Tara. He left Mel's side to sit in his seat next to his uncle, the cacophony of conversation in the room swallowing his entrance to all but one pair of eyes. He thought for a moment that he should perhaps avoid that stare boring into the side of his face, but decided instead to show him that he wasn't afraid, that he had done nothing wrong. Dhayn turned and met Thrett's gaze head on, holding it a second longer than he should have before speaking.

"Are you going to send us out soon? Sir." Dhayn may not have liked his commander much for keeping him from Tara, but the male was his superior and he deserved his respect.

Thrett seemed to asses Dhayn for a few more seconds as the others around the table tuned in to hear his response. Thrett's mouth turned up a little to one side in what looked like amusement before responding.

"Tonight, actually. You will be briefed in the training facility and then report back to me at the end of the night." The smile remained shadowed on his features as Thrett broke eye contact and resumed eating his meal. The dismissal was subtle but Dhayn got the point, busying himself with forcing down some much needed carbs before his first night out.

He had to work to keep his eyes from wandering over his lovers, and to contain his emotions; knowing Tara's father had similar gifts, if not as powerful, as her own. It was a long meal. When Hunter got up to leave for the night, Dhayn shoved away from the table and followed on his heals.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

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**

Tara pushed through the door to the training facility with a lightness in her step, with all the crappy things that had happened lately, at least they would finally get out of training and start their Trails. The night stretched out in front of her full of anticipation, a humming excitement danced through her veins. She wondered if she would uncover a group of rebels, or corner a Lesser in an alley. Her muscles tensed with the promise of long awaited action - the training had made her stronger, but her body longed for the hunt, for a bloody fight, and bruised limbs. Of course as a WIT (Warrior in training) going through her first level of Trails she was only a glorified scout; ordered to report disturbances on sight, never engaging the enemy until a Brother or Warrior showed up to fight. She could only observe, and offered help only if necessary. But if trouble came to her, well she would be ready for it.

The gym was already packed with her fellow students. They stood in groups around the blue padded floor, the majority of them had yet to Change. She walked toward Mel and Dhayn where they leaned casually against the far wall, smiling as they talked to one another. As she drew nearer her heart fluttered in her chest, they seemed so right for each other, so happy.

"Hey beautiful."

Tara turned to the now familiar voice. "Hi Tru." She stopped and turned to face him as he sauntered up beside her, always coming too close, invading her personal space with his huge muscled body. The air between them buzzed with energy and Tara knew that if she lifted her mental shield she would feel the lust and excitement that always rolled off of her sparing partner. She didn't know if it was just his normal aura, or if it was his reaction to her, she didn't think that she wanted to find out if it was the latter, so she convinced herself of the former.

"Cute outfit, going for extra protection today? Does that mean I'm allowed to get rough?" His voice dripped confidence and sexuality that teased the edges of her mental shield, begging for her to dig deeper. She held them firmly in place.

Tara looked down at her snug leather pants and leather corset top and shrugged, as if she hadn't put any thought into what she was wearing at all. In truth, after hearing that they would be on the streets tonight she had rushed back up to her room and carefully selected her attire. Her sire had taught her to use all of her talents and abilities to her advantage when facing an enemy. One if her advantages was the predictable male reaction when she showed a lot of skin. By the hungry look in Tru's eyes she knew she had hit the nail on the head. If her cleavage bought her a few seconds distraction it could give her the upper hand, could shift the balance of her inexperience. She watched him caressing her body with his eyes and she soaked up the confidence it gave her.

"We're going out tonight," she said finally, needing to cut off the waves of lust battering her mind - even with her shields up she could only take so much. Surprise flashed over Tru's features but was quickly masked by his usual charm.

"So you're finally going to go out with me? And here I thought I'd have to put in at least another month of chipping at your icy shield before you admitted to how much you wanted me _deep_ inside you." His grin was wicked, and despite her irritation Tara smiled right back.

"You're confusing dreams with reality again Tru. Nasty little habit, makes for big heads and blue balls." Tara joked to regain her mental footing. Bickering with Tru had become as much a part of her training as her workouts and she was starting to see it as such - a mental workout to keep her on her toes. At first he knew just what to say to leave her tongue-tied and blushing, but she was learning, getting more feisty in their verbal game of wits, and she loved getting the better of him.

"You couldn't handle my dreams sweetheart, but you are right about me having a big head," he drawled, looking suggestively down at his crotch. Tara knew better than to fall for that again, she knew all too well what she would find straining the fabric of his black workout pants, and how she would blush.

"Right back at you bud," she said raising a brow in challenge.

"Breasts maybe, but I'd put money on you being _all_ _female_ between those sexy thighs." His gaze rested heavy on her body and she had to fight the urge to squirm.

"I meant the dreams jackass, I could make you cum where you stand," Tara challenged. She watched Tru's Adam's-apple bob up and down as he swallowed, a cocky grin taking over her own face.

"Try me," he said, voice thick with lust.

"Reel it in buck-o, I can only block out so much. Your libido is making me feel waterlogged." Tara shuddered beneath the weight of it, pressing in on her from what felt like all sides, her pent up sexual energy was wearing her nerves thin.

"So you admit that I make you wet?" Tru pulled away from Tara and she could feel him tampering down his thoughts and emotions. They still rippled over the surface of him, but they were for the most part contained.

"I admit that you annoy me," Tara glared at his smug smile. "Drenching me with your own arousal isn't the same as me being aroused Tru, that's not what this is." She gestured between them with her hand.

"Then what is this?" Tru asked, copying her gesture.

"Training. As long as they keep sticking us together you are going to learn how to contain your erratic emotions, and I am learning to block out the tsunami of lust you throw my way every time we are together - which for the record Dhayn would kill you for if he new the things inside your head."

"What, greedy boy can't handle a little competition?"

"You're an idiot," Tara muttered and walked away. Sometimes she wanted to tell Dhayn about Tru's less than chivalrous thoughts about her, the memory of the males fighting in that very room still played out like a fantasy in her dreams, the violence a strange foreplay of desire and passion that she wasn't sure she understood - but she was actually starting to like Tru, as not quite a friend, but definitely not an enemy anymore - the two of them fighting in real life would never end well, so she kept her mouth shut. She just hoped that Tru would get over this crush soon.

A little voice in the back of her head said, _no you don't - you like that he can't control himself around you, like you're the most beautiful female in the world._ Tara shoved that thought aside, working to keep the guilt from her face as she felt the truth of it sting her conscience. _Is it such a bad thing to be wanted?_ She approached her best friends, watching the possessive posture Dhayn held beside Mel, and as she came to a stop in front of Mel's smiling face she could smell Dhayn's bonding scent still lingering on her skin. Her heart gave a squeeze in her chest. Mel's eyes held her's and they had one of their silent connections, melting away Tara's mental shield until she was inundated with the love and longing pouring off of her lovers - her friends. She _was_ wanted, by two people that she loved more than she had ever loved anyone. It was enough, it had to be enough, because Tara couldn't imagine her life without them.

...

Mel could see the tension rolling off of Tara and it was tearing her up inside. She worked to dampen her feelings, knowing that they would only burden Tara more if her shields weren't up. She gave her other half a reassuring smile and reached out to grasp her hand. Their whole situation was beyond skewed up, and Mel knew it. The daggers Thrett threw at D with his eyes earlier that night had sent shivers down Mel spine through their entire meal - as if they were walking a thin line, one that if crossed would turn those daggers into cold black steel pressed against D's throat. She tried to keep her panic buried deep inside, but it was there all the same. She ached for Tara, but she feared that if the three of them messed up again, D would be the one with the most to lose.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the heavy slam of the main door to the gym. All the students in the blue padded room turned as one to watch their instructor, who paused just inside of the door. He was wearing his usual black get-up and angry scowl, but the tablet in his right hand drew everyone's attention.

"This doesn't concern first level WITs so you can start with your warm-ups now, second level WITs come with me," he said in his cool, authoritative voice. The first levels murmured amongst themselves but started going through their steps right away.

Mel dropped Tara's hand, not wanting to show any weakness in front of the male, and marched toward him with her shoulders set. The other three seconds moved to follow as well. The instructor pushed through the door and walked to the classroom adjoining the gym. He gestured for them to take the front four seats, but remained standing.

"As you know by now your level three status will begin this week," he paused and scanned their faces. "You are going to be paired off and will work your recons in twos. Your commander has made the partnerships and the schedules, meaning they are non-negotiable through me, so don't bother me with your fucking complaining." At this he glared at D, and Mel's heart beat a little faster.

"You will patrol our quadrant on your assigned nights and report any danger that you stumble upon. Don't try to prove yourself by getting into a fight, your role as thirds is to find the trouble, not fight it. Am I understood?"

"Yes Sir!" they called in unison. The thrill of the hunt was already buzzing through Mel's veins, and taking orders, even simple ones like these, only meant one thing to her; she was really becoming a Warrior.

"Good, and don't fucking forget that, enough thirds have died trying to be brave, be patient, keep training and one day you will feel the satisfaction of burying your weapon in an enemy's chest." His grin held a wicked tint that sent a shiver of excitement through the four WITs. "Dhaynger you will be partnered with Mehlisha, Intrudehr will be partnered with Tehrrify," he said, reading off of his tablet. "Huhnter will take you out tonight to show you the boundaries of our quadrant, and tomorrow your regular schedule will begin." He turned off the tablet, the blue glow vanishing in an instant, and looked them over with his fierce golden stare. "You are all strong, and have the potential to be Warriors, or even Brothers. Don't fuck it up." He strode out of the room at a human pace, leaving them to stare at each other in silence.

Huhnter came into the room moments later, his dark brown eyes - almost the exact shade of his short faux-hawk - glanced over the four of them before they sparked with excitement. His golden skin was hidden beneath dark jeans and a black leather jacket, bulging with what Mel knew were all sorts of weapons. His smile grew as he beckoned them out of their seats.

"First stop the weapons room," he said with a wave over his shoulder. "You technically shouldn't have to use 'em but like hell we're sending you out unarmed."

Mel smiled at the other thirds in excitement. Yep, she was really becoming a Warrior, and damn if it didn't make all of her other worries melt away.

They spent the night learning their boundaries, not that it would matter if they strayed beyond them, but they were specifically responsible for the area they were given. It was a mainly residential part of Caldwell that stretched along one side of downtown, butting up against the river. There were some vampire homes in their section, in need of protection, and that made their diligence paramount - or so Huhnter told them.

Mel's excitement over the course of the night was dampened by the aggression D was emanating toward Tru. Mel could feel the tension between them, and she didn't even have Tara's gifts. The poor female must have been shut down tight to withstand their silent feud. As the night drew to a close, they made their way back to where they had parked the tinted SUV they had driven from the mansion. With Tru's eyes blindfolded again, they drove home through the winding outskirts roads cutting through the dense evergreen forest surrounding the city.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

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Dhaynger walked the streets of Caldwell with his body on autopilot, but his senses on high alert. It was their sixth night out on patrol and already it was more exciting than he ever could have imagined. Another Brother had been killed. It seemed like an impossibility, that those charged with protecting their race were being taken out - Dhayn wouldn't have believed it himself if he hadn't been told about by his commander. Now that they were in their third level of Trials, Dhayn and Mel had been briefed, along with Tara and Intrudehr on the recent deaths within their race - deaths that were being kept quiet, especially from the glymera.

The Brother that had been killed the night before was the second in so many weeks, and two WITs had also disappeared. The Brotherhood was reeling from the losses of there kin, but even more so because they had no clue as to who was responsible for the deaths. They had not lost so many of their own since the deaths of Dhayn's parents and Mel's sister over ten years ago. Everyone was on high alert, and for Dhayn his Trials were now about more than proving his worth, he could feel the urge rising up within him, to protect his people - to hunt those who dared harm them.

The cold dark streets were empty with the rain that began to fall in an icy mist from the midnight sky. Dhayn was covered in his leather's but the tiny droplets kept up a cool burn on his cheeks as he peered down alleyways and behind dumpsters.

Mel had been quiet all night, the news had rocked her, but she refused to talk about it no matter how many times Dhayn had tried to get her to open up. She had known Klash - the Brother found stabbed to death in a vacant townhouse across town. He was a distant cousin from the upper class district. Dhayn kept glancing at as they patrolled the streets - her shoulders remained stiff and her face emotionless, but he knew inside she was hurting. He wanted to help her, but he had no idea how.

They walked out from between two commercial buildings and were hit by a wave of frigid wind laced with near-frozen rain. Mel shrunk back from the onslaught and Dhayn stepped up instinctively to pull her into his arms. Thunder roared above them as lightning cracked the sky with a vivid stroke of light. The storm was taking a turn for the worse.

"We should get inside, wait this out for a bit," Dhayn suggested, motioning across the street to a small pub with blacked out windows and neon red _open_ sign. Spotlights shone on the name 'Shenanigans' where it was painted in old English lettering above the door. After another loud clap of thunder Mel nodded and followed Dhayn across the street. Water splashed under their steel-toed boots as they hurried to the door, the rain turning the street into a rippling black river.

Dry, warm air enveloped them as they pushed through the old wooden door. It was a classically styled pub with pool tables and dart boards. A large wooden bar dominated the center of the room, with a handful of patrons claiming stools around it. Dhayn scanned the room for threats as they walked passed the bar to a booth nestled in the far corner of the bar. He counted eight humans including the bartender - a heavyset man with bright red hair and a matching beard. None were worth his notice - average humans having an average night in an average bar. Even with the retro feel, this place would still rank pretty low in Dhayn's book. He liked places with style, classy and modern, with plenty of room for dancing, and great music.

Mel got up from the booth and sauntered over to the bar. Dhayn watched her hips sway as she moved between tables and approached the bartender. His eyes raked over her body from head to heel drinking in the sight of her. _Perfection_. She leaned forward slightly to order their drink, emphasizing the gentle curve of her ass. He had to reign in his thoughts before they got him into trouble. The trick of not pouncing on Mel the moment they were alone was to stop the hunger before it could take hold. The whole waiting thing was a lot harder than any of them had thought it would be. Dhayn was with Mel every night, and every night he had to fight with his nearly crippling need to touch her, to claim her. His body recognized her as what she was, his mate. He had already claimed her that night on the rooftop, and even though mentally he knew he needed Tara too, his instincts roared at him to take what was his.

Mel turned back toward him, two short glasses in her hands. She gave him a hesitant smile as she made her way back through the empty tables. As she slid into the booth across from him her nostrils flared and she closed her eyes on a shudder.

"That scent makes me want to forget everything, wrap my legs around you and lose myself," she sighed heavily and took a big sip of her rye and ginger.

"Tara," Dhayn reminded them both.

"I know," Mel shook her head, "but it's getting harder every night." She spun her glass in circles on the table in front of her, the three ice cubes clicked and swirled in the amber liquid. She looked up at him, searching his eyes - but for what he didn't know. "Can't you try talking to Stehlth again, or..." Mel drifted off, they had had this conversation too many times to count.

"They have too much on their minds right now, our being able to fuck isn't something they give a shit about," Dhayn grumbled, taking a draw from his glass. The single malt was like warm velvet on his tongue.

"Do you?" Mel bit out. Dhayn looked up and met her angry bronze eyes. Her cherry lips were drawn down into a scowl.

"Do I what?" Dhayn asked, sure she couldn't be accusing him of not caring. He took another slow sip of his whiskey.

"Do you give a shit about us," she motioned between them with the flick of her wrist, " about the three of us being together - or is all about you becoming a Brother?"

"I can't believe you would even ask me that Mel." Dhayn drained his glass and slammed it down on the table. He pushed himself out of the booth and marched out of the bar - clenching his fists as he forced himself to move at a human pace. He shoved the door aside and stepped out into the storm. The icy rain assaulted his bare hands and face, but Dhayn breathed in the frigid air to help cool his temper.

She was supposed to understand. Mel more than anyone knew how much he needed this, needed to hold on to the only thing he had left of his parents. He had promised his sire that he would become a Brother one day. A child's promise yes, but it was the only one he had ever had the chance to make to him. Even beyond that, being a Brother was in his blood, part of what made him who he was - who he was meant to be. Did she want him to lose a part of himself, to sacrifice his dreams to be with her? Could he do it if she did?

Dhayn ducked into the alley running adjacent to the bar, shielding himself from the downpour under a second-story fire escape. Mel and Tara, they were in his blood now too - had always been under his skin, shaping and molding him into the male that he was today. He needed them, and it scared the shit out of him how much he was willing to give up just to be with them. This wasn't a new fight for him, every night his mind battled with his heart in an endless game off tug-of-war, but one day soon something was going to have to give.

...

Mel stared at the naked ice cubes in her glass, her emotions in turmoil. _He walked away? I ask him if he gives a shit about me and he fucking walks away!_ She heard the door slam from the force of the wind and clenched her teeth as the sound rattled her nerves. So she may have been a little insensitive, but seriously, give a girl a break. She was having a rough night, a rough month for fuck's sake. Couldn't he have at least given her a little reassurance? She shimmied her way out of the booth and followed after her pissed of male. _He thinks he's pissed? I'll show him pissed._

Mel followed Dhayn's scent down the street and into an alley - her anger keeping the cold at bay. He was leaning up against the dark brick wall, but pushed off from it when she rounded the corner. She marched up to him and shoved both of his shoulders, knocking him back against the wall.

"What the fuck Mel?" He shoved her hands from his shoulders.

"You just leave?" Mel pushed him again, harder this time and D gave a satisfying grunt as his back hit the wall. His mismatched eyes glowed faintly in the dark alley as he stepped forward, towering over her.

"I know you're hurting Mel but don't take it out on me," he said smoothly.

"Don't make this about me," she warned, "I asked a simple question, D." She peered up at him through the haze of rain. The pent up emotions she had been ignoring for weeks were raging out of control.

"No, you asked a stupid question," he replied curtly. Mel reached up to shove him again, but his hands were suddenly wrapped around her wrists.

"You're an ass," she hissed, showing him her fangs. It was easier to be angry then to be hurt. She could use anger, but sadness just made her vulnerable and weak.

"Unless you're planning on using those, I suggest you put them away," D said with a dangerous edge to his voice, tightening his grip on her wrists. Mel felt a growl stir deep in her chest.

"Let go of me now," she warned. Dhayn dropped her wrists and stepped back.

"Mel, you're being irrational."

She swung at him without notice and caught his chin with her right fist, not a serious blow, but a warning. "I asked you if you gave a shit about me and you call me stupid." She swung again, this time with her left, and he deflected the blow easily. "Not to mention storming out and leaving me alone in a bar full of drunk men." She feigned another punch and jabbed his ribs instead. He grunted and straightened up to glare at her. "Doesn't really seem all that irrational to me."

"Oh please you could take all those bastards blindfolded." D's expression softened and he reached up slowly to rest his hands on her shoulders. "I do give a shit, you idiot," he said with a sly grin.

The icy ball that had formed in her throat melted away. Something switched inside of her, and suddenly a blush threatened to overtake her face. She took a deep calming breath, and slapped him across the face.

"Why do you keep hitting me?" he asked with a confused scowl, rubbing his cheek. Mel smiled at him and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm waiting for you to hit me back." She attempted another right hook and was deflected by Dhayn's arm - another left swing and he was shoving her back gently. "Come on D." She charged him, but found herself instantly pinned against the brick wall.

"You are an infuriating female," he whispered in her ear, nipping at the sensitive skin. Mel shivered and fisted her hands in his rain-slicked leather jacket. He dragged his fangs along the side of her neck and sucked the soft hollow above her collarbone. Mel gasped and would have struggled to stay standing if he wasn't bracing her against the wall.

"We should finish our patrol," he mumbled against her neck, sending ripples of pleasure dancing over her skin. A slow burn started to build to build between her legs.

"She said we could..." Mel left the rest unsaid. They both knew what Tara had said - that they could have a relationship without her until she persuaded Thrett to back off - but could they actually do that to her?

"Not tonight Mel." He pressed his wet lips to hers softly. The rain mingled on their skin as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Mel sucked on his bottom lip and bit down gently, purring as the two small punctures wept into her mouth. D pushed her back gently, his eyes blazing brilliant blue and green. "We have a job to do first." His hands tightened briefly on her shoulders before letting her go. "After patrol - with clear heads - we can talk about it, okay?"

Mel licked the faint traces of Dhayn's blood from her lips, savoring the heady feeling of lust coursing through her veins. "If you aren't going to fuck me later, your probably going to have to tie me down." Another shudder overtook her at the mental picture that inspired.

"Clear minds Mel, clear minds." D rested a hand on her cheek. "In the evening you'd regret it."

Mel hated that he was right. Sure she could lose herself in D's arms for the day - and enjoy every minute of it - but when they woke she would fret and worry all night about how Tara would react. She took an icy sobering breath, shaking the wet hair from her face. "Okay, let's go hunt in the rain."

…

Tara wandered the big empty halls of the mansion with the odd feeling that she was lost in her own home. Dhayn and Mel were on patrol and Tru was going out apartment shopping with his brother-in-law. The youngling was due any day now and he wanted to be out of the way before it arrived. Tara didn't know if she liked this new softer side of Tru she was finding out about, it was easier when he was an ass. The boundaries were a whole lot clearer.

She descended the main staircase and wondered to herself if she should work on putting her shields up. She usually let herself relax at home, especially on nights when she was alone, but that night things felt different. The holidays were coming up soon and usually there was a note of anticipation and happiness in the air, but instead the house dripped with fear and loss - the residual emotional imprint left hanging in the air, making it hard for Tara to breath without sighing.

The Brother found murdered three nights before had taken an already horrible situation and made it one hundred times worse. He was days away from his mating ceremony with one of more prominent members of the glymera. The loss racked and scared their people, and left a closely kept secret perilously close to being exposed.

If the glymera found out about the deaths and disappearances before the Brotherhood had any leads on who was behind them, there would be an uproar. There were still those who didn't stand behind the King or his Brothers, and they were always waiting in the shadows to pounce on any mistake - adding fuel to the flame of those that would appose the leader of their race.

Tara sat alone at the long rectangular table for her midnight meal. The doggen that scurried in and out with her food resonated an odd mix of fear and determination. The fear of being afraid was still fear, just a more muted flavor on her senses - she had to give them some measure of respect for trying though.

She was halfway through her meal of orange glazed chicken, when Cynthia's mind brushed lightly over the surface of Tara's thoughts, preceding her small frame in the dining room. She was wearing a beautiful red velvet gown with bell sleeves, and a gold embroidered bodice. Tara couldn't remember a time when she had ever seen Mel's mahmen looking anything less than elegant. Her golden brown hair was braided back in an elaborate up-do. She went through phases of different decades, apparently this month she was channeling the renaissance.

Tara greeted the female fondly as she abandoned her usual seat to claim the one beside Tara. Not wanting to intrude on Cynthia's privacy, she closed her eyes for a moment to close off her thoughts. Tara was getting better at working with her abilities both telepathic and empathic. She was far from a true Empath, _thankfully,_ but the more she honed her skills the stronger she became at her second nature. She had even started training with Thrett to control Mhis. So far all she had managed was a brief illusion of a butterfly, but they hadn't really had the time to work together with the current state of the war.

Cynthia caught her attention with a gentle hand on Tara's shoulder. Tara looked to the female with a smile. Cynthia had a forced smile on her face that had Tara itching to pry away - but she wouldn't cross that line just to settle curiosity - this female deserved better than that, she was the closest Tara had ever had to a mahmen. She straightened her back in her chair, and wished she was wearing something other than the blue velour jumpsuit she had thrown on to come down stairs.

Mel danced along the fine line of pleasing her mahmen and rebelling against her, but Tara had always had the unrelenting urge to impress the female. She loved it when Cynthia would preen over her dress at a ball, or offer to take the girls to an all-night spa for pedicures. To Tara it felt like she wasn't as lost, like she was home. She focused now on the odd posture Cynthia took as she turned her face toward her.

"Mehlisha and I had the strangest conversation last night," she started, spearing a tiny cube of chicken with her fork and placing it delicately on her tongue. She seemed to be waiting for Tara to volunteer her interest.

"What about?" Tara asked with a polite smile of her own.

"She wanted me to talk to Krym and Thrett on your behalf." The condescending look that Cynthia threw her way was one that Tara had never seen directed at her - it shocked her to see those kind eyes focus on her in malice.

"On my behalf? What for?" she asked hesitantly, a sick feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

"It seems that she has gotten it into her head that you should be able to share her mate." The challenge was unspoken, but clearly there. Tara froze in shock with a bite of asparagus suspended on her fork.

"That's not really the whole story Cynthia," she said, trying to keep her defensiveness out of her tone. The need to make it right, to stay in Cynthia's good books, was a clawing sense of panic inside her. She dropped her fork back down to her plate.

"Sweetheart, I know that you two have always shared everything, but you're not younglings anymore. This needs to stop." Cynthia set her silverware down on the table and faced her. "I know you love my daughter, which is why I can't understand why you would stand in the way of her happiness."

"I'm not standing in the way of anything, they both made their choice, I'm not..." Tara's throat felt thick with emotion. Was she standing the way of their happiness? Was a future where the three of them could be together even a possibility, or was she fooling herself into believing the impossible? "I love them," she said weakly, begging Cynthia to understand.

"Then let them be happy." She placed a gentle hand on Tara's cheek. "There is a male out there for you Tehrrify, but it isn't Dhaynger - he has marked and bonded with Mehlisha now you're the only thing keeping them from their bonding ceremony."

"I don't...I don't know." Tara felt her eyes welling up and turned her face away.

Cynthia dropped her hand to clasp Tara's where is rested on the table. "I know you'll make the right choice, you've always made me proud." There was an edge of begging in Cynthia's words, and somehow that made it all the worse.

"I'm sorry." Tara rose from her seat, looking down at her feet. "I can't give up, not yet."

"Than you're not the female I thought you were." Cynthia's words pierced like claws into her heart. Tara slipped out of the room, silent tears trailing down her cheeks. She had never felt so alone.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

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The villain isn't always a creepy monster lurking in the shadows, or even a baby powder smelling fuck hunting you outright - sometimes the villain isn't really a villain at all. He's just the good guy waiting for the tables to turn. The hero of the story is only the good guy while everyone agrees with him, but what if the villain was only trying to save his people from a tyrant - one that they blindly followed and submitted to, without even realizing that _he_ was the villain, that _he_ needed to be stopped. If only they could see things from the right perspective - and that is just what Bharron was aiming to achieve. He was going to open the glymera's eyes, show them how foolish they were to follow their King and his elitist _Brothers_.

He read over the report from his partner once more before throwing it in the low burning fire. The burst of flames lit up his office with warm golden light. There could be no evidence of their plans, not while their people still saw what they were doing as treason - instead of liberation. Anything sent electronically could be tracked, could be found. Bharron and his men communicated only face to face, or through the old fashion way of actual paper. An expensive method with the rarity of the substance, but a necessary precaution. He slumped back into his wingback chair, facing the fireplace. The house had climate control like every other building in Caldwell, but Bharron had insisted on installing a classic fireplace in his office - a throwback to his years as a youngling, but a handy one as it turned out.

The report hadn't told him anything he didn't already know. Three weeks, and the Brothers still had no idea who was behind the attacks, but had somehow managed to keep the losses quiet, even with Bharron's men feeding details to members of the glymera to stir up dissension. He had thought that killing Klash would be the push to finally knock down the first domino, sending a ripple of panic through their people, but somehow the bastards had managed to work their damage control magic yet again.

Not entirely unexpected, but disappointing nonetheless. Which is why the next phase of their mission was already underway. It would take months of planning, but he could wait, enjoyed the tension that built like an orgasm as his enemies dreaded his next move. There was something exhilarating about the wait, of knowing that while the other males squirmed and panicked, he knew exactly what was going to happen next and when. A smug grin took over his face as he pictured the look on Wrath's face as his kingdom collapsed around him. His next target was going to hit them where it hurts, and then there would be no stopping the train of self-destruction.

...

Dhaynger looked at himself in the mirror hanging from his closet door and had to admit that he made that suit look good. He was wearing a traditional three piece dark grey suit with a royal blue shirt and matching tie. It was the first glymera event he was attending post-trans, and he was feeling pretty good about himself. His shiny black shoes barely made a sound as he marched with his head held high down the central staircase.

When he reached the front lobby most of the household was gathered to leave for the Christmas celebration. The doggen had decorated the walls of the entire main level with holly and bows - as if the party were going to be hosted a the mansion. They even set up a large fully-decorated Christmas tree in the dining hall. Dhayn always found it strange how certain human traditions found their way into the vampire society, but he didn't see the harm in this particular one. The joy surrounding the household this time of year was almost visible in the air. The remnants of sadness over losing Klash was being smothering with lights, ribbons and nutmeg - and denial. They all grasped at the distraction the holidays provided.

He nodded in greeting to the five males, and gave a polite bow to Cynthia. All heads turned toward the garland-wrapped stairs as the two most stunning females he had ever seen descended the steps. Tara was a vision in ruby red, her hair worn loose in chestnut brown waves falling to her shoulders. The mermaid style silk dress hugged every curve of her body and her ample chest was barely contained by the strapless corseted top. Mel was hooked arm in arm with her, wearing a modern looking emerald green glittering dress with a halter neckline that plunged almost to her naval, and a slit up the front that stopped well above her knees. Her golden brown hair was pulled back into an elegant twist. When she turned at the bottom of the stairs to speak to her mahmen, Dhayn saw that it was backless too, but for some glittering chains of emeralds swooping in layers down her exposed flesh.

His fists balled and his jaw clenched. It was taking everything in him to keep his bonding instincts in check. He could feel the heavy stare of Thrett boring into him and it was a warning he knew he had to heed. The males bowed to the two beauties and the party made their way out to the waiting cars. Dhayn rode with Huhnter and Tyrahnt in a chromed-out Hummer, while the others filed into a sleek black limo.

"Are you going to be of any use at all tonight?" Ty threw over his shoulder as he sped down the winding snow-dusted roads leading away from the mansion and farther out into the country.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Dhayn quipped. "Recon is all you guys let me do, I've gotten pretty good at it." Truthfully Dhayn may have forgotten momentarily about the reason they were all attending tonight's festivities - to try and fish out any information about the suspected rebels - but who could blame him? Mel and Tara looked like sex in stilettos.

"We're not blind Dhayn, we saw how good she looked. You might just want to pull her into a dark corner right away and get it over with - clear your head so you can focus on our objective." Ty smirked at Dhayn in the rearview mirror.

"What are you talking about?" Dhayn frowned back at the male.

"Your Mel dumbass, although Tehriffy did look damn hot in that red dress. Sweet Virgin in the fade what I wouldn't do to that female." Ty said, his green eyes alight with mischief. Dhayn couldn't stop the growl that rumbled low in his chest. "Ah, still protecting the Commander's daughter I see. Don't worry about it, she's one sexy female, but not worth the hassle of dealing with Thrett. I pity the male that tries to mate her."

"She is worth the hassle asshole," Dhayn gritted through his teeth.

"Calm down Dhayn, he's just messing with you," Huhnter said to break the tension. "And he's still your superior, so watch your mouth." Dhayn glared out the window in silence until the car slowed. He could almost feel the mhis as they drove through it, a barely there vibration in the back of his mind. Or maybe he was just getting a headache from clenching his jaw.

The Hummer pulled to a stop at the end of a long winding driveway, in front of a beautifully decorated estate. The twinkling white lights bordering every window and door gave the sprawling white building an ethereal glow. Dhayn climbed out onto the frozen ground and looked up at the clear star speckled sky. The sereneness of the night calmed his mind. The sound of the limo pulling up behind him drew his gaze away, and as his females stepped out into the cool night air he realized he had never seen anything so beautiful.

...

Tara pulled her cashmere shawl tighter around her bare arms as she followed Cynthia and Mel up the marble steps to the black double-doors, festooned with large holly wreaths. A dogged swept the doors aside and ushered them in with a slight bow.

The sparkling white lights that illuminated the outside of the estate were mimicked on the inside with beautiful globes of white light suspended from the ceiling like a room full of fireflies. The lights hung at various heights from the thirty-foot ceiling, and were wrapped around the large marble pillars that towered over the ballroom. This place had to have been built for royalty, in a century long passed. The holiday balls had been held here for as long as Tara could remember, but the beauty of the elegant ballroom never ceased to enthrall her. She often wondered at what the male and female who owned the estate did with the excessively large room during the rest of the year. They were just normal citizens of the glymera, excessively wealthy to be sure, but what use would they have for a ballroom on a daily basis. A smile formed on her lips as she pictured the old couple bowling in the big empty space.

The glymera was out tonight in all their glitz and glory. The females in beautiful gowns of silk, satin, and lace in every color imaginable, and males dressed to the nines in classic and modern tuxedos and suits, though most were in shades of black. There were already over two hundred vampires in the room, with at least a third of them dancing to the classical music that seemed to emanate from every direction.

"I trust you will remember why we are here Tehriffy?" Thrett spoke quietly in her ear from behind her, resting a hand on the small of her back. Tara nodded mutely and stepped into the mass of moving bodies.

She felt the weight of responsibility settle in on her shoulders. She bowed her head and smiled in greeting to the sea of faces as she weaved her way through the crowd. Sure, the others were here to try to fish out one of the rebels too, but no one else could do what she could. Tara's abilities were far from tamed, but they were a secret to most of the glymera, and thus a weapon against them. She had to find something out tonight, to prove herself to Thrett. Maybe once she proved her worth to him he would finally see her as the grown female - the Warrior - that she was, and let her choose her mates.

Not wanting to cause any suspicion, Thrett had ordered them all to blend into the party, to join in on the festivities and keep their ears - and in Tara's case _minds_ \- open for any hint of the rebellion. She didn't really think that the rebels would be naive enough to let something slip in such a public setting - they had been incredibly careful so far - but she was banking on their ignorance of her gifts to be their downfall. Where most would shy away from Thrett with his ability to pick up errant thoughts, none would suspect her for what she was.

Tara wasn't deluding herself into thinking that she would be able to expose the rebels in one night - probably wouldn't find anyone of consequence - but even a solid lead would be worth it.

"There you are," a familiar husky voice sounded over her shoulder. Tara glanced back without turning to smile politely at Tru. "What no sass tonight? I should take you to balls more often." Tru caught her elbow and gently turned her to face him.

He was wearing a sleek gunmetal grey suit with a black dress shirt unbuttoned at the neck. His blond hair was tamed and brushed back, and his face was clean-shaven. The gold flecks danced in his brown eyes as he raked them over her fitted scarlet dress. The hunger clearly written on his face was being kept in check or Tara would have felt it like a branding iron.

"You're going to have to keep that in check to have any hope of success tonight," Tara admonished.

"So if I don't undress you in my mind, I might get to undress you in the flesh? Now that's a bargain I am more than willing to take." Tru slid his hand from her arm to the small of her back and pulled her flush with his body. She stiffened, the silk of her gown suddenly too thin a barrier. She could feel every inch of his hard body pressed up against her from her thighs to her increasingly sensitive nipples.

"Hmm, very funny. How about I make you a deal - if we expose the leader of the rebels tonight I'll show you exactly what's underneath all these layers of silk." Tara raised an eyebrow in challenge, pushing his shoulders to gain some much needed space. It wasn't like they were actually going to find them anyway. Tru grabbed one of her hands and gave her a wicked smile as he pulled her onto the dance floor.

"And now this mission just got a whole lot more interesting," Tru said with heat in his eyes. He rested his other hand on her waist as they moved together to the waltz playing softly all around them.

"I thought you hated this?" Tara asked, gesturing with her head to their surroundings. Growing up Tara had loved attending all the balls and parties, Tru had hated it, but regardless they both knew how to dance and melded into the crowd easily.

"I do - well, not nearly as much with you in my arms," he squeezed her hip and dipped her in time with the music, "but, it seemed like the best place to start _listening_." He gave her a meaningful glance. Tara fought a blush - why hadn't she thought of that? She relaxed into the practiced steps and focused instead on the dancers surrounding them. As she lifted her shields completely, a tidal wave of thoughts and emotions washed over her, faltering her step. Tru held her in place and continued to lead her through the crowd.

"It's too much," she sighed, focusing in her mind to block out the room once again. "I can't focus on anyone, it's just a jumbled mess." Tara kept her voice down and tried to dampen her frustration. What good was she if she couldn't control her own abilities?

"Try pushing some of them out," Tru suggested, his words barely a whisper.

"I can't, it's not that easy to just..." Tara broke off as a burning wave of lust lambasted her senses. Her knees went weak and she bit back a gasp as her body reacted to the current of need pulsing over her like her finger was stuck in a light socket.

"Stop. It. Now." Tara bit out, glaring at Tru. He only stared at her with glittering brown eyes and pulled her closer, taking her weight easily in his muscular arms. Tara could feel her control wavering as images started slipping into her minds-eye. Tru was picturing her lips wrapped around his shaft, her scarlet dress pooled on the ground below her. Tara grunted in frustration shoving mentally at the image, until it faded along with the pulsing heat of lust. Tru was holding her close in a mockery of a slow dance. She shoved hard against him and made to swing at his face before he pinned her arms to her sides.

"Training Tara, I didn't reel it in, you pushed it away." Tru watched her face for understanding.

"You could have warned me," she growled.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Tru stepped back and offered her his hand. "Now try it again."

...

Dhayn watched Tara and Tru dance from amongst the mingling crowd surrounding the dance floor. He had to use most of his energy and willpower to keep himself from launching himself at the male and ripping his arms off for touching his female. Mel canvassing the female's washroom, and until she came back he wouldn't be able to meld into the dancers and find out what the hell they were up to.

He had been watching Tara's face, gauging her reactions to the other male. The anger and challenge he could handle, she could take care of herself, but the glimpses of lust and longing had him seething on the edge of an outbreak.

"Who are you trying to kill with your eyes?" Mel said from beside him. He jolted out of his aggressive posture and turned toward her. His thoughts were momentarily lost at the sight of her. He knew she was only trying to piss off her mahmen by wearing the revealing emerald green dress, but he could barely tear his eyes off of all that exposed skin. Neither could quite a few other males in the room, which had his bonding instincts screaming at him to claim her.

"That dress is evil," he expressed aloud.

"You've seen me in a lot less," she offered with a slight lift to her cherry red lips.

"I take it back, _you're_ evil," Dhayn whispered in her ear, pulling one of her emerald earrings into his mouth. A soft hiss came from her lips as he traced the sensitive shell of her ear with the tip of his tongue.

"Not now D." Mel pushed him back. "We have a job to do remember? Now what did I miss? What were you glaring at? A suspect?" She surveyed the crowd of dancers with pursed lips and narrowed eyes.

"It was nothing," Dhayn waved it off, " just didn't like how close Intrudehr was to Tara."

Emotions flashed over Mel's face too quickly for Dhayn to read, until she composed herself and stiffened her back. She had spotted them and watched with Dhayn as Tara leaned into the male's chest with her eyes closed. Dhayn saw Mel's posture shift at the same time as his and it brought him up short.

"Come on Mel, we'll be no good out here. Let's wander around, see if we can't fish out some bad guys."

Mel relaxed slightly as he wove his fingers through hers. They moved away from the chaotic center of the ballroom and paced the outside, pausing just within earshot of private conversations. They listened in on countless dreary conversations on the whether and the state of the economy, before they decided to branch out into the adjoining rooms.

It was improper etiquette to roam the halls of the host's estate, but at least they weren't alone. Couples found dark corners, and business men found quiet rooms. The estate was vast, bigger than the mansion Dhayn grew up in, and seemed to have endless hallways filled with shut doors.

While the outside of the building and the grand ballroom were washed with shades of white, the rest of the house was done in rich jewel tones and dark woods. Dhayn didn't even want to guess at how many trees had to die to decorate the library Mel and he stumbled into. It was a scene out of Beauty and the Beast. The walls were covered with wooden bookshelves, filled with books - real paper books - all the way to the thirty foot ceilings. Ladders on wheels rested against each of the four walls. In the center of the room there were several seating areas with all different types of chairs and couches illuminated by individual reading lamps. The only light in the room came from those lamps Their colored glass shades threw multihued shadows against the walls.

"Tara would love this," Mel whispered into the empty space.

"Yeah, she would," Dhayn agreed, already backing out of the room. Mel hadn't budged. "What's wrong?"

"She likes him," Mel answered, staring at the glowing lights. Dhayn didn't know what to say to that. He stepped back into the room and shut the door behind him.

"No." He didn't know what he was denying, Tara's feelings for Tru, or what he feared Mel was going to say next.

"Yes, she does. I can see it when she talks about him. I know her."

"So do I," he interrupted defensively.

"I can't stand the sadness in her eyes any longer D, it's killing me, and we're doing it to her." Mel's voice quivered and Dhayn reached out to pull her into his arms. "We're being stupid. Thrett wants to kill you, my sire refuses to get involved, and my mahmen has decided that Tara is trying to steal my mate. None of us wanted to face the reality, to choose, but if she has another option..."

"No! How could you even suggest that?" Dhayn stepped back to see Mel's face - the torment there nearly undid him.

"It feels like ripping myself in half to lose her, but what if it would make her happy?" A single tear rippled down her cheek and Dhayn reached out to catch it with his thumb, caressing her face gently.

"I won't take that choice away from her, but I'm not giving up Mel, I can't. As long as she wants me to wait for her I will." He searched her sad bronze eyes for understanding.

"I miss her. I miss _us_." Mel pressed her lips into Dhayn's palm. A jolt of heat shimmered up his arm. He drew in a slow breath, trying to ignore the way her skin felt under his palm. His eyes dropped from hers and caught on her plunging neckline. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat and shifted to adjust his growing erection.

"I need..." Mel drifted off, her face pained.

Dhayn pulled her back into his arms and ran a soothing hand up her spine. The ropes of jewels hanging from her shoulders made soft clinking noises as he rubbed her back. He kissed her neck when he heard her muted sob, realizing too late that his carefully maintained distance had evaporated. The soft skin of her throat called to him like a sirens song, her scent releasing to wrap around him in a cloud of honey and apples. She pushed up into him as his fangs unsheathed. The warm flow of her blood cascaded over his tongue in a heady rush of sensation and flavor. He drank deep and pulled her closer as she sighed in ecstasy beneath his lips.

His mind pulled out of the fog slowly, and he released her, licking the punctures on her neck with slow languid strokes. Mel purred and grasped at the front of his shirt. He offered her his vein and she didn't hesitate. Dhayn could hardly hold himself upright as she rocked against him, bringing him to the edge of orgasm. Cumming in his five hundred dollar suit wasn't exactly on his to-do list, so he gripped onto the edge of ecstasy until his female released his vein. Dhayn could tell that Mel had done the same, she was seconds away from orgasm, but she held herself on the brink - her bronze eyes aflame with passion. His bonding scent lingered in the air around them.

The door to the library opened and both of them jumped at the sound. Huhnter poked his head into the room and smiled knowingly when he spotted them. "Time to go lovebirds, the boss has called it a bust."

...

Mel slipped out of her slinky green dress and hung it back on its hanger on the back of her closet door. Her emotions were still all over the place and her body was tight as a bowstring with need. All she wanted was to sink into her big soft bed. She turned to face her down-covered haven, but something red caught her eye from across the room. She walked over to her nightstand and found a shiny gold box with a big red bow. A little early for Christmas gifts, but she wasn't one to kick the horse. She plucked the white folded card stock from the top of the gift and read it with a curios smile.

**M,**

**I am taking your silence to mean that you haven't chosen between curvy & beautiful, and dark & hansom. Unless you really have forgotten about me.**

**I thought you might be needing this.**

**Call me, stranger,**

**Cyn**

Mel laughed and placed the card next to the box on the table. She was never one for patience in unwrapping so she ripped the gold paper to shreds and stared quizzically at the shiny black cylinder resting in a bed of red tissue paper. She lifted it out to examine it. A bit bigger than a tall beer can, it had subtle creases and gaps, and one square of silver. Mel picked up a second note that lay in the red paper folds, hoping for some sort of explanation.

**Here is where you have to trust me.**

**Lay down, put the cylinder between your legs and press the silver button.**

**You will thank me.**

**Cyn**

Mel hesitated, dropping the note back into the box and inspecting the black object again. Her body was strung so tight from her time with Dhayn that even the suggestion of something sexual had her clenching in anticipation. She shrugged and lowered herself onto her bed, positioning the cylinder between her upper thighs. She felt a little thrill of fear as she hovered her finger over the silver square. She pressed it and heard a soft click and a subtle humming, but nothing happened. She dropped her head back and laughed, _Cyn and his practical._..

"Oh!" Something pressed onto the insides of her thighs as a warm liquid sprayed her opening, and suddenly something was pushing into Mel's sheath. She gasped and pushed herself up to look down at what had once been an innocent looking cylinder. It had separated along its seams, revealing a rather sizable dildo with arms that suctioned onto her thighs so that it could thrust itself slowly into her. Mel quivered at the intrusion, and wondered fleetingly what all the other...

"Oh Virgin help me," Mel gasped and threw her head back against her pillow. She was being right and truly fucked by an electric penis of the gods. She bucked and screamed and rode out four orgasms before she gathered her wits enough to find the little silver button and stop the erotic torture. When she sat up, panting for breath, she found the shiny black object back to its innocent-looking self. Stunned, and lethargic from her pent-up release, she grabbed her phone off of the table and messaged Cyn.

HOLY FUCK!

The next evening when she woke up, still naked on top of her bed, she read his reply.

UR WELCOME


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**  
**

The muted glow from the single black pillar candle cast more shadows than light over the open-concept loft. The only things visible to the human eye beyond the chrome coffee table beneath the candle and the sleek black couch, would have been the people on the floor in front of it. Tru gripped the slender hips in front of him and slid home in one hard thrust, his head falling back on his shoulders as he waited, still and throbbing inside her, as the wet sheath surrounding his shaft clenched and milked him. The soft feminine sounds coming from the woman on her knees turned needy as she struggled against his firm grip, trying to make him move within her. He kept perfectly still, focusing on sending more blood to his cock, flexing it, but giving her no friction.

"Are you going to move?" she growled between her teeth, glancing over her shoulder to glare at him with dull brown lust-filled eyes. Her long dark hair fell forward to frame her pale, heavily made-up face. Right hair color, wrong girl.

"I will," he said with a smile, "but not until you're begging for it."

"Fuck you, I'm not beg..."

She broke off on a moan as Tru began to slowly pull out of her, inch by inch, shivers of pleasure rolling up his shaft as she clenched and pulsed around him. He could feel her heart racing in the blood flowing through her slick folds, swelling them further, and making them even more sensitive to the glide of his cock. He stopped with just his head remaining in her heat, and waited. The seconds of anticipation stretched out with every teasing pulse of her pussy. He itched with the need for more, but he would wait, because she _would_ break. Her back straightened and he could see the determination settle between her shoulder blades - she thought she could outlast him. He slowly pushed in a single inch, and withdrew at the same relaxed pace, pushed in again and waited ten long seconds before withdrawing with a swivel of his hips.

He knew that in this position he would feel much more than she would unless he let her. He pushed slowly in, slowly out, pausing in between to drive her mad. Tru had gotten it down to a science; he could make a female cum in less than a minute if he wanted to, or hold her on the edge for hours. He liked this game of control, of breaking wills. The raging lust inside of him on an almost constant basis from being around Tara, made him feel out of control - this was the only way he knew how to take some of it back.

Slowly he pushed into her again until she couldn't take any more of him, his hips still a couple of inches away from her tight little ass. He flexed his cock once, twice...

"Please, please you bastard, just fuck me, fuck me, FUCK ME!" she begged. He knew she would.

Tru smiled to himself as he slowly pulled out of her again and pounded back into her with a swift motion, picking up his pace to a heated frenzy, barely registering her screams of pleasure as his own waves of release pulled him over the edge and into ecstasy. He milked out his orgasm and kept on thrusting, pushing farther into her swollen cunt and growling as his need continued to lace through his blood, hardening his cock once more so he could take her over the edge again.

After five orgasms he was finally satiated. He had lost count of how many times she had climaxed beneath him, on top of him, against the brick wall of her living room, and finally upside-down while he held her ankles. His body hummed with energy as he let her slump to the ground, nearly unconscious. He liked to save that trick for last, with the blood rushing in the wrong direction, the orgasm took an extra long time to crest, but when it finally did it was explosive - and afterward his partners were so dizzy with pleasure and lightheadedness that they were easy to get rid of - or leave behind. He slid an arm under her head and another beneath her weak knees, and carried her to a nearby couch. He covered her with a blanket he found draped over the back, a silver throw that felt as soft as rabbits fur. He stood and looked around the loft for his clothes.

Dressed again in his black dress shirt and dark blue jeans, Tru walked swiftly down the unfamiliar halls of the building he'd been fucking in for the last three hours. He had already forgotten the female's name by the time he reached the front lobby of the old building, Cindy, or Katie or something else girly and forgettable. He used to at least attempt to form relationships with the females he was sleeping with, now he had stooped to a long chain of one-night stands. He tried not to think about what kind of male he was becoming, something he would hate, that _she_ would hate. But for fuck sake it had been three months! Three torturously long months of being partnered with Tara on rotation every other fucking night and his nerves were completely shot. There was just something about her that drove him crazy - bat shit, blue balls, and one hair shy of going doggy-style on her leg crazy. The more she resisted him, the more his need for her grew. He couldn't even pretend to ignore it either, with her abilities stripping him bare every time they were together, leaving him unable to hide his yearning for her. Tru felt vulnerable and helpless, willing to do anything to be with her. And she was...indifferent. She tortured him with her casual touches and easy laughter. She offered him friendship while her heart, and body remained out of reach and badly bruised by the two she called lovers. He knew how much she hurt, he watched the spark slowly leaving her eyes, and it killed him.

He turned and punched the wall of the building he was passing, crumbling pieces of brick cascaded to the ground. That bastard Dhayn was going to be on the receiving end of a serious beating if Tru was ever alone with him. He stared down at his fist as the cuts slowly wept blood; he was already healing, but slowly. It would be time to feed soon. He wondered again if he would ever taste his Tara. His cock hardened against the denim of his pants at the thought.

"Dammit," he muttered to himself. He turned away from his car and headed back the way he came. Hopefully what's-her-name with the dark hair and nice ass was up for another round. Being around Tara, fuck even _thinking_ about Tara was like swallowing a fistful of little blue pills; all he could do was fuck himself soft and hope that one day the effect she had on him would fade. _Please sweet Virgin, let it fade._

...

Thirty-one, the number of times Tara had tried to meet up with Mel and Dhayn outside of meals, unsuccessfully. Twelve, the number of times she asked Thrett to move around the schedules of their patrols, to no avail. Eight, the number of times Tara caught the scent of Dhayn's bonding scent lingering on Mel's skin. Two, the number of times Tara and Tru found a trace of Lesser on their patrol. Ninety-six, the number of times Tara had to ask Tru to reel in his lust-filled thoughts. One, the number of times she chose not to.

Tara's nights off started out as something of a luxury. Every other night was hers to do with as she pleased. The novelty wore off pretty quickly once she realized how lonely it could be in the mansion. Thrett had scheduled Dhayn and Mel for the opposite days as her and Tru, and before long she began to realize he had done it on purpose. WITs didn't get to pick their partners or their schedules but it seemed like her sire was doing everything in his power to keep the three lovers apart.

Tara turned down a dozen invitations to hang out with Tru on their off days before she finally caved to boredom. They couldn't hang out at the mansion - he still wasn't allowed to know where exactly it was - so they went to bars and movies, late-night ice-cream runs and sparing in a local twenty-four hour gym. Tonight was going to be dancing, Tru's pick.

Tara pulled off her helmet and kicked out the stand for her sleek black motorcycle. She swung her leg over the back and hung the helmet on one of the handlebars. The parking lot was full of cars and bikes and she could hear the low beat of bass coming from the large shiny black building twenty feet away. As she wound her way through the cars toward the club, she groaned at the sight of the long line stretching the length of the building. She slipped her phone from the pocket of her tight leather pants and called Tru, he connected after the second ring.

"Where are you?" he asked. Tara could see pulsing lights behind his head on the little screen, and the music blaring through his end of the phone matched the beat she was hearing from outside.

"Outside, and I am not waiting in that line," she replied.

"Don't have to, I already spoke to Theo." He smiled at her and took a sip of his beer.

"Theo?" she asked, raising a brow.

"The bouncer, just go straight to the door and tell him you're with me." He got an impish look that had Tara ending the call and shoving the phone back in her pocket.

She unzipped her black leather jacket as she made her way over to the door, revealing the front of her red satin corset. The bouncer gave her a slow once-over, lingering a little too long on her breasts, before opening the door and ushering her inside. Tara smiled to herself - looks like she didn't need Tru's name after all - and walked confidently into the club. She checked her coat inside the door and then followed a couple into the main room. Silver lights pulsed over hundreds of bodies dancing, swaying, and moving to the music that pressed in on Tara from every side. She closed her eyes and mentally reinforced her emotional shields, in a place like this she would drown in feelings around her. These people were freeing themselves of their inhibitions and practically broadcasting their emotions into the room, she would have to keep the lid on tight.

"Aren't you going to be hot dancing in leather pants?" Tru's voice whispered into her ear.

"Depends on which hot you're talking about?" Tara teased, turning to face him. Tru's jaw flexed as he took in her outfit. She could see the heat in his eyes, but with her guard up she couldn't feel the burning need. She knew the tenor of his thoughts, having spent so much time with him, so she knew exactly what was brewing behind those smoldering golden brown eyes. She let herself enjoy the feeling of being appreciated for a few seconds longer than she should have before slapping his arm, and earning a sly grin.

"You know what you do to me wearing sweats and a baggy shirt, and still you show up looking like this." Tru shook his head and rubbed his face with his hands. "You are going to kill me Tara, is that what you want, for me to spontaneously combust?"

"Shockingly it's not all about you Tru," Tara replied, "I want to look good for _me_. What would _you_ have me wear?"

"Nothing." He smiled at her again, and then grabbed her hand to drag her behind him through the mass of bodies on the dance floor.

They drank a little too much and they danced a little too close, but Tara was having more fun than she had had in months. When the music started to make Tara's head ache they went down the street to a bar. Tru bought them some shots and before long they were too sloshed to stand. Tara felt numb and giddy, which she thought was pretty damn close to happy.

"You should come and see my new apartment," Tru paused, color touching his cheeks, "not in a sketchy 'I'm trying to get in your pants' kind of way, I mean seriously. It's not far from here and I want you to see it," Tru made big puppy-dog eyes, and that made Tara laugh.

"Sure," she said, jumping to her feet. _Why not?_ She wobbled in her stilettos for a second before catching her balance. Tru held out a hand and she took it, letting him lead her out into the street. As they walked the four blocks to his apartment, Tara's buzz began to wear off. She started to hear how loud her voice was as she talked to Tru about the new bike she had her eye on. Her fast metabolism was making quick work of her short-lived happiness and her gloomy thoughts started to return. She missed Mel and Dhayn, she felt alone and confused. Tru made her feel almost like herself again - like she was powerful and sexy. Tara didn't want to like him, she didn't want to feed off of his attention, but the emptiness inside of her had created a vacuum and the longer she was alone, the stronger the pull became. Most of all she didn't want to hurt him by leading him on, by using him, by asking and taking so much, and giving nothing in return. Her heart still belonged to someone else, _two_ someones.

"Here we are," Tru said suddenly, pulling Tara up short in front of a tall glass and steel building, one of four identical new high-rises that sat on the four corners of the intersection of 3rd and Main, just outside of the entertainment district. He scanned himself in through the large glass vestibule - no doubt bulletproof by the thickness - and lead her through the black and white lavishly decorated lobby to the row of elevators. Tara felt like a life-size chess piece as she tried to stay on the black tiles only. So, maybe the alcohol hadn't completely left her system. The trip up in the black mirrored elevator was over in a blink and before long Tara was standing in the centre of a large open-concept penthouse, walking in a slow circle to take it all in.

"This is really beautiful Tru," she said, walking over to the glass wall spanning the length of the apartment. She could see the whole city, a glittering white web of lights fading into darkness, and there, just beyond the border, was home - hidden beneath a mhis to keep it wrapped in shadow.

"It's not much yet. I still haven't finished furnishing the place obviously but it's nice right?"

"I love it." Tara turned to face him and found him sitting on a large white fur rug in the middle of the empty floor. Tara smiled and sat down beside him. She was pretty sure the fur was fake, but it was silky soft to the touch. She pet it absentmindedly as he explained his plans for filling in the large space. Her fingers brushed over his accidentally and she felt the heat stir around her before the wave of lust washed over her senses. She swallowed back a moan as the tide receded and she could feel only her own emotions.

"Sorry," Tru said, "you caught me off guard." He looked down at his lap and Tara felt her guilt stirring again.

"You're getting good at keeping it in, that's the first time I've felt you all night," she reassured him. If only she could think of some other way to help him.

"Yeah, the lessons have helped I guess, still I have a long way to go with all that mental control and seeing through mhis bullshit." He smiled at her and her heart gave a little squeeze.

"Knowing how to control and see that bullshit could save your ass," Tara said, turning to face him on the rug. His eyes still held golden flames and they shocked her into silence. He really was getting better; she couldn't feel him at all. "Want to play with mhis?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he answered suggestively. They were very close together and Tara could smell his scent - cedar and subtle hints of mint - all around her. She tried to take a deep breath to calm her mind, but that just brought with it more of his scent.

"This will help me too. I have to practice forming the illusions to make them more real. I'm going to project and we'll see if you can sense the illusion." Tara got up on her knees and Tru kept his eyes on hers, a tense ribbon of lust forming between them, not entirely one-sided. Tara braced herself, sitting back on her heels and closing her eyes. She pictured a small rabbit, like the one she had seen hiding in the bushes by the lake two nights ago. It was brown with a white tail and a pink nose. She focused her energy like her sire had shown her, and projected the image of the bunny hopping around her.

"Whoa, that's crazy," Tru said, watching the imaginary bunny make it's way around her again. "I can tell it's fake though."

"How?" Tara asked.

"Well, apart from the fact that there would be no way of him getting in here, he is doing the same thing over and over - like a loop."

"Alright, harder this time." Tara said and lifted the mhis of the bunny. She was confused by the hungry look on Tru's face, but decided to move on before she found out and dug herself any deeper. She tried to think of what she could project that would really confuse him. She formed a moth that he didn't bat an eyelash at, a snake that he let slither over his legs, a rabid dog that growled right by his ear, and a giant lizard scratching his hardwood floors. He would calmly tell Tara how cool they looked, but never seemed to believe they were real. Tara was getting frustrated, and running out of ideas.

"I think it's because I know it's coming, and none of those things could possibly be in here. You are the only other thing in the room with me, and my mind knows it. Plus, I'm really good at seeing through bullshit," he teased with a wicked grin. "Just like how I know deep down you want me."

Tara frowned at Tru as he let loose his emotions and hit her with a wall of hunger. She had relaxed her guard so she was open to his thoughts too and they were all of the X-rated variety. She blushed as she picked up an image of herself stripping there in front of him on the rug. He wasn't playing fair. Tara forced up her shields, meeting resistance as he did nothing to reign himself in - but this time she didn't tell him to, this time she would play his little game, but by her rules.

Tara formed a new mhis, one of herself, and cloaked her real body in shadow. She took control of Tru's mind, forcing him to feel what she was projecting, as she made her doppelgänger crawl forward and slowly unzip his pants, springing his cock free - at least that is what he would see. Tara had to guess at this point, she had never actually seen Tru's naked body and in reality he was fully clothed, but he didn't seem to notice the illusion yet so she moved on. Her other self licked and sucked at Tru's phantom penis until he was panting and trusting into the open air. Tara waited until she could sense him on the edge of oblivion before lifting the mhis. Tru grunted and sprang before she had a second to think. He pinned her to the ground with the weight of his body pressed down in her.

"You couldn't have at least given me a fucking _fake_ orgasm?" he growled through clenched teeth.

"You were being an ass and I wanted to test you with a better illusion, one you wanted to believe was real, and it worked." Tara said with attitude, irritated with him for pinning her, irritated with herself at how wet she was.

"No, it didn't work, but I was willing to let you play it out for a little release," he replied, shocking her.

"What are you talking about?"

"It was too small Princess," he said, grinding the hard edge of his length into her core to punctuate his words, " _much_ too small." He kept grinding, rocking his hips above her, and daring her with his eyes to ask him to prove it. Tara didn't speak, didn't move, she was on the very edge and she didn't want him to stop.

_Just a little more, OH_ "Ohhhhhh," she moaned arching up into him, shuddering her release. The weight was suddenly off of her and she looked up to see Tru watching her with need written painfully on his face. Tara was shocked at her own sudden orgasm and had no idea what to do. She didn't want this, didn't want to betray Mel and Dhayn, but now her heart was beating a mile a minute and her panties were slick with her own satisfaction while Tru sat inches away, painfully close to an orgasm she couldn't give him. She steeled herself again and projected another mhis, but this time she didn't stop until Tru had climaxed with a shout of release.

"Still to small," he panted from the rug, as Tara reached for the balcony door handle. She paused for a moment, an unwelcome thrill running through her, and then she stepped out into the wind and dematerialized home.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

 

Mel had no idea that tonight was going to be any different than any other night, until she and Dhayn were called into Thrett's office before their patrol. The large male was sitting behind his huge desk working on his desktop tablet when they arrived. What looked like memos and maps covered the screen and gave off a subtle white glow beneath his fingertips as he sorted through his files. Huhnter sat in one of the leather chairs opposite the desk, bent forward with his elbows on his knees. He was filled with a visible tension as he ran his fingers through his short brown hair; his feet bounced below him, shaking his body with the motion.

"You wanted to see us sir?" Dhayn asked, straightening his shoulders.

"Yes," Thrett said, looking up from his work. His piercing blue eyes rested on both Mel and Dhayn in turn. "You will be starting your next phase of training. We have received some intel on the whereabouts of a possible group of Lessers. You and Mehlisha will be accompanying Huhnter and Tyrahnt on a raid later this evening."

Mel held in a gasp. How long had she waited to do some actual fighting? Her blood pumped wildly through her body as adrenalin spiked her veins. They had found plenty of leads on their recon missions over the last few months but had never been released to follow up on them. It left her with a sense of near constant edginess, to continually find danger and then not be able to fight it.

"Thank you sir," Mel said with a slight bow of her head. Thrett only grunted in response, focusing back on his work. Tyrahnt strolled into the room wearing an all black suit and dress shirt. Mel thought that he looked way too dressed up for battle, and wondered if he too was just finding out about the mission.

"The Hummer is out front, stocked and ready," he said, surprising her. Huhnter was up out of his seat and through the door in a blink, leaving Mel and Dhayn to rush after him. They ran down the main hallway and staircase with Tyrahnt on their heels until Huhnter brought them up short at the entrance to the vestibule.

"Are you two ready for this?" he asked, eyeing Mel and Dhayn.

"Yes," she said, Dhayn echoing her answer. Dhayn pulled out his handgun from the holster at his back and Mel, following his lead, unzipped her leather jacket to reveal a small gun strapped to her side. She didn't pull it out, but instead reached down and slid her switchblade from her right knee-high leather boot; flipping it open and closed in one motion, and shoving it back in the hidden holster. She had several blades strapped to her body at any given time, but only saw the need to show him one.

Huhnter gave them a small smile. "Good, those won't kill 'em but they'll slow them down until we can finish the job." Huhnter slid a short black sword from his back and Mel itched to touch the menacing blade. She wondered, not for the first time, what form her black dagger would take should she be granted the station of Brother. She and Dhayn nodded their understanding and followed the Brothers outside.

...

Dhayn rubbed the sweat from his palms on his denim-clad knees. He could feel the nervous energy racing through him, but was helpless to stop it. He wasn't afraid of facing their enemy, he was primed and ready for that fight, but of proving himself to the other males on the battlefield. His only hope at having a chance with Tara was to prove his worth to her sire - a feat that was looking more daunting by the day. It seemed to enrage the male that Dhayn would ever have even _considered_ sharing his affection for his daughter with another female.

Thinking about it subjectively Dhayn could see why Thrett was so protective of Tara - he was only trying to shelter her from someone who he deemed to be a fickle and greedy male. He didn't see Dhayn's commitment and devotion to her, his love for every part of who she was. Dhayn's love for Mel discredited his feelings toward Tara in Thrett's eyes - but if Dhayn could gain the male's respect...

"D, we're here," Mel cut into his thoughts, waving her hand in front of his face to catch his attention. Dhayn caught her wrist and kissed her palm before she tugged it away. The look in her eyes was both a warning and a promise. Dhayn threw her a suggestive grin and opened his door.

"Where the fuck are we?" he asked Tyrahnt as he came around the back of the Hummer.

"About eight miles west of the compound. The target is a fishing cabin in those woods," Tyrahnt explained, pointing into the darkened forest edging the dirt road they were parked on.

"What the hell are they doing in a fishing cabin?" Mel asked from beside him. Dhayn listened carefully and could just make out the faint sound of moving water in the distance.

"The river," Dhayn guessed, "they realized we are watching the roads."

"Ten points to Lover-Boy," Huhnter said as he nudged Tyrahnt aside and pulled open the back of the Hummer. The inside looked empty and big enough to store a cow, until Tyrant reach in and pressed a code into a small keypad that was disguised to look like part of a rear entertainment unit. The floor slid away with a soft hiss, revealing a large storage bay filled with weapons. Dhayn recognized some of them; knives, handguns, and semiautomatics, but there were several things that he didn't have a name for. He reached in to pick up a long unmarked black cylinder with a square silver button, but was stopped by a leather-clad hand.

"We won't be needing that tonight," Tyrahnt said with a grin, and Dhayn was surprised to hear Mel's burst of laughter. She cut it off immediately, but all three males turned to her at once. Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. 

"Hmm, are you familiar with my work, Mehlisha?" Tyrahnt asked with a raised brow. Her blush was accentuated by her look of surprise.

"Y- _your_ work? You mean you invented that?" Mel asked, stepping forward to look closer at the offending object.

"He made all of this," Huhnter answered, waving at the cache of weapons. Dhayn didn't like the way the other males were looking at her now, their curiosity sparked. He was missing something here but didn't know what.

"Why do you have... _it_ with all these weapons?" Mel motioned to the cargo, still trying to hide her blush. 

Dhayn looked at her in confusion. How did she know what any of those were? They took all the same training courses. Tyrahnt laughed and raked a slow gaze over Mel's body. Her jeans and leather boots and coat suddenly seemed far to tight for Dhayn's liking. He stepped in front of his female possessively, shielding her from the other males. She shoved him to the side and squinted her eyes in irritation.

"So you do know what it is." Tyrahnt smiled at her suggestively. "We sometimes find that interrogating people through pain isn't the best course of action, so I devised a device to exploit other weaknesses. Did it work? Did I make you weak?"

The words had barely lefts his lips when Mel's fist connected with Tyrahnt's jaw, sending him reeling backward. "I am _not_ weak!" Mel shouted, her body tensed for a fight. Tyrahnt chuckled as he straightened. One hand reached up to rub his face. Huhnter broke out into laughter.

"What the fuck?" Dhayn said finally, looking to Mel for answers. She didn't relax from her stance and kept her mouth shut in an angry line. Dhayn turned to face Tyrahnt instead. "What the fuck is that thing? And why does Mel know what it is?" That brought out a smile on the male's face.

"I'm guessing because she's used one," another raised eyebrow directed at Mel, "it's called a stimulator, it…" Tyrahnt was cut off by the barrel of a gun held at ready in Mel's steady hand.

"It's a sex toy, useless against Lessers, so moving right along. What does this do?" Mel asked. She turned her aim away from Tyrahnt and looked over the thick-barreled gun in her hand.

"Hand-held rocket launcher," he answered.

"And this?" Mel pointed with her other hand to another sturdy looking weapon.

"Compact flame thrower. Laser cutter. Semiautomatic crossbow. EMT transmitter. Underwater riffle." Tyrahnt listed off his weapons as she pointed to them.

"So we are prepared for practically anything," Mel laughed, easing the tension. Dhayn was intrigued by a few of the devices Mel hadn't pointed out, but his mind was still stuck back on _sex toy_. Mel was using sex toys? Without him? Huh.

"My favorite is that suit, but he has only made the one so far," Huhnter pointed at his partner with an envious glint in his eye. Dhayn looked over at the black suit that looked better suited for a ball than a battle and wondered what there was to covet about it.

"What's the big deal with the suit?" Mel asked. "I mean, sure it's nice and all, but it's no flame thrower." She balanced the deceptively small weapon in her hands.

"I have been working on a substitute for body armor for some time now. The standard Kevlar is still too bulky for my tastes. I decided to make something better," Tyrahnt said, gesturing to his slick black suit.

"That's body armor?" Mel asked in disbelief, gesturing with the flamethrower. Dhayn had to agree; the black tailored suit looked closer to something he would buy in an expensive Italian shop than an armory.

"If you were to try to stab or shoot me, the engineered polymer of the suit would protect me by reacting to the force, and the material is flame resistant, but my exposed skin would still burn." He eyed the weapon in her hands cautiously. Mel set it back in the storage bay.

"Now if you newbies are done being awed by all the fancy toys, we have some pale fuckers to ambush," Huhnter interrupted, reaching in to palm two of the more normal looking guns - though now Dhayn wondered what they really were.

Focusing his mind back on the mission, Dhayn cleared his mind of distractions and set his senses on alert. The distant sound of water rippling over the river rocks became his anchor. He could hear distant voices and a muffled laugh track. "They're watching TV," he said with a smile, tensing to run.

"Alright Lover-Boy, lead the way." Huhnter shut the back hatch and scanned his thumb to put the Hummer on lockdown. Dhayn gave Mel a brief smile before taking off into the trees.

...

There was nothing Mel loved more than running at full speed, the wind blowing her hair off her face and burning in her lungs, her muscles heating with exertion, the adrenaline pumping through her veins giving her an almost euphoric high. Although glancing back at Dhayn running just behind her she could think of _one_ thing she liked better.

She dodged around tree trunks and leapt over fallen limbs, her footing light and silent on the frozen earth. She paced herself to the rhythm of the three males behind her, the whisper of their pant legs brushing with each long stride the only sound betraying their stealth. It still filled her with a secret pride that she could outrun most of the Brothers; her speed both inherited and honed to become her greatest asset. The males fell into step along side her as she slowed her pace approaching the cabin.

It was a simple log structure surrounded by overgrown bushes and flattened brown grass that probably stood as high as her waist in the summer. There was yellow light spilling out from a small window on the sides of the cabin and the large front window facing the river, catching the ripples in the choppy water and painting them in a cascade of golden sparkles over the inky black water. The river seemed to open even wider this far from the city, a good twenty feet across to the border of trees on the other side. There was smoke twisting lazily up into the sky from the large chimney dominating the back of the cabin.

The smell of burning cedar scented the small clearing, but it was polluted by the sickly sweet smell of baby powder that lingered in the air. Mel screwed up her nose and waited for her signal to move in. The tension in her tightly coiled muscles felt ready to snap, but she waited silently as Tyrahnt and Huhnter stocked silently toward the cabin and disappeared around the side of the small building. Moments later Huhnter came back within sight and signaled for Mel and Dhayn to close in behind him.

Mel withdrew the two blades at her sides as she ran quickly across the frostbitten earth to hide in the shadows of their enemies' hideout. She heard the soft click of Dhayn's pistol being readied behind her as she peered around the corner and watched Tyrahnt connect a small black box to the handle of the only door leading in or out of the cabin - a thick wooden number that matched the rest of the ancient place. He hurried silently toward where Mel and the others stood waiting and readied his own weapons - a pair of sleek looking semiautomatics.

A bright blue light accompanied a loud bang as the door was blown off its hinges and into the cabin. Tyrahnt ran forward with Huhnter on his heals, Mel and Dhayn followed closely behind them. Mel was shocked as they approached the door that there was no smoke from the explosion to inhibit her senses - another of Tyrahnt's inventions no doubt. The male was truly a genius.

She only had a second to admire his handiwork before the attack began. The cabin was blanketed in darkness, the device having locked out the lights as well as the door. As the four of them rushed into the building they had only the light from the slowly dying fire with which to see their prey - which would definitely give them another advantage over the Lessers trapped inside.

The moment Mel stepped over the threshold she sunk into a crouch, narrowly avoiding a chair as it soared across the room and smashed into pieces against the far wall. Straightening, she located the fucker who had thrown it across the room. He was pasty like the other four engaged in fights around the large open room, but still had a mop of brown hair, signaling his newness to the curse. Still, Mel knew better than to underestimate his strength. Faking right, she dodged left to avoid the next chair and leapt over a coffee table to land within reach of her target. She didn't give him time to react, her right hand flew out the moment she landed, sinking her four inch blade into his thigh, her left driving the other into his eye socket. The lesser screamed and clutched at his face, but Mel pulled two more blades from her wrist sheathes and scissored them across his jugular, a fountain of black blood spraying out and silencing his cries.

Motion to her right had her spinning a tight circle and bracing for a block, but Huhnter took the lesser to the ground from behind, driving his long black dagger through the back and piercing his heart. With a loud pop and a flash of light the poor fucker was gone. Huhnter quickly dispensed of the lesser Mel had left bleeding out on the floor and straightened to stand beside her.

Looking around the room, Mel could tell the fight was over; there was broken furniture and vile black blood covering the majority of the once cozy cabin, but the Lessers were gone. She was a little disappointed; she had thought that they would put up a better fight. She said as much as they washed off some of the grime at the edge of the river.

"That was a small group of newbies, not much of a challenge," Huhnter agreed, his face still speckled with black. He was scrubbing his hands in the ice-cold water until they turned from black to bright pink.

"Want to try out my rocket?" Tyrahnt asked, suddenly beside her. She heard Dhayn growl deep in his throat. She whipped her eyes to him and took in his aggressive posture, but Tyrahnt only laughed. "Easy Lover-Boy, I only meant this." He held out the thick-barreled gun she had been admiring back at the Hummer. Mel took it from him gingerly and waited for his instruction. He only waved toward the cabin with a gesture of his left hand.

"Point and shoot?" Mel asked. When he nodded, she aimed at the small log cabin and had a moment of grief for the poor old thing, before pulling the trigger and releasing the rocket.

The resulting explosion was much bigger than Mel had anticipated, the blow knocking her back into Tyrahnt's hard body. He caught her easily with a laugh, but then there was another growl followed by a splash as Dhayn body-checked the other male into the water. Before Tyrahnt could retaliate Mel shoved Dhayn in after him. Both males scrambled out of the freezing cold water with stunned looks on their faces and Huhnter began to laugh in earnest. Another splash as Tyrahnt pushed his partner in the river and Mel didn't have any plans to be next. She backed away from Dhayn as he stalked toward her, his clothes clinging to his skin with the weight of the water.

"See you back at the car," she called over her shoulder with a smile, as she turned on a dime and burst into a sprint for the trees.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

 

"This is completely ridiculous," Tara said under her breath, glaring at her sire's back as he stalked purposefully in front of her down the streets bordering Caldwell. She and Tru followed at a _safe_ distance. The houses made way for larger buildings and warehouses as they walked swiftly down the dark empty streets. It was a bitter cold night, and not a soul could be found out under the cloudy black sky. They were hoping that their prey would be staying indoors as well.

Tara watched as Thrett jumped an eight foot chain link fence, and matched his movements with her own - bracing her hand on the cool metal as she vaulted over the top. She was glad that she opted for more durable jeans for tonight's patrol as they hopped another fence and walked along a row of dark abandoned warehouses.

"Mel and Dhayn had to go out with Brothers too," Tru whispered back. Tara glared at him. She felt another prodding touch at the edges of her mental shield as they locked eyes, the gold flex in his brown eyes dancing with mischief.

"Stop trying to break through, I'm not in the mood," she bit out, shoving Tru's shoulder and knocking him off balance. He regained his footing before his next step and chuckled low in his throat.

"Don't I know it," he grumbled. "Just keeping you on your toes Princess." His smile was friendly but with too much heat in it to be completely innocent. The subtle warmth stirred to life again deep inside of Tara, and it only served to infuriate her more.

"He never goes out on raids anymore - hasn't since I was a youngling. Why now?" Tara blurted out, "And without his partner!" She gestured to Thrett's back with a frown.

"Your first real fight and your wondering why your sire wants to be there?" Tru asked mockingly. Tara would have punched the condescending look right off of his face, had Thrett not stopped at that moment and scented the air. "And I'm sure our commander can handle himself, even without our help." Tru added on a whisper, although Tara was sure that her sire had heard him nonetheless.

A cloyingly sweet stench traveled on a cool breeze that caressed Tara's face and it made her muscles tense in anticipation, her instincts on high alert. _Danger_ , they said, _kill_ , _protect_. Tara crouched forward, awaiting the command to hunt. Thrett made eye contact with both of them and nodded silently. He took off at a faster pace and she sprung into action immediately, sprinting to keep up with Thrett, Tru right on her heels.

The warehouses they were surveying banked onto the river and had been vacant for years - the perfect hideout. They slowed their speed at the mouth of the alley, and crept silently around to the front of the building. There was a heavy steel door, spotted with rust and grime left slightly ajar and Thrett motioned for them to fall back while he checked it out. Tara had to hold back her groan of frustration. The anticipation of the hunt pulsed in her veins until she could almost feel the energy as it gathered and pulsed through her motionless body. Moments later Tru and Tara pushed though the door behind Thrett and helped him sweep the area. Though the place reeked of Lesser, the baby powder stench making her want to gag, the building was completely empty of any creatures living or dead - even the rats stayed away from the dank cloying smell of the Omega's spawn.

"We missed them," Thrett said finally breaking the tense silence of the large open room.

Whatever the factory had been used for, it had been cleaned out, nothing but a big open room with high ceilings and blacked out windows. There were cots set up in one corner and some tables in another, showing signs that someone had been squatting here. They took a look inside two large metal cabinets by the cots and found a stockpile of weapons and a canister of gasoline. Tara clenched her teeth, her fangs threatening to pierce her lip.

"They can't be far, the trail is fresh outside, we can hunt them down," she said, facing Thrett.

He considered her for a moment, her skin crawled under his scrutiny but she kept her mind and expression void of emotion. Thrett nodded toward the open door. "Alright, your lead," He arched an eyebrow. Tara froze in shock for a full two seconds before ghosting through the door.

The cold night air cleansed her pallet the moment she got outside and she breathed a sigh of relief. She paced away from the warehouse, stopping two feet short of the river's edge. This section of the river was built up with a concrete embankment to preserve the properties on either side. Even in the springtime, when the water levels were at their highest, the wild river was kept at bay by the containing walls. Tara sucked in a few lungs full of bracken-scented air before turning back toward the front of the warehouse.

The males followed silently behind her as she paced out from the door, tracing the path of baby powder scent that was barely noticeable in the gentle breeze after the saturated air inside of the warehouse. The pressure to perform started to cloud her mind as her slow progression brought them ever closer to the churning black water of the river. Tara followed the trail right to the edge of the embankment. A precarious-looking metal ladder was fastened to the concrete edge, submerging into the water below her. A rope hung loosely from an iron hoop that was bolted to the retaining wall beside the ladder. Tara clenched her fists and glared at the limp rope as it swayed in the wind, the frayed ends reaching out like a hundred tiny fingers.

"They're using the water. Huhnter and Tyrahnt's team found another hide-out down the river." Thrett said from behind her. Tara was annoyed that he avoided mentioning Mel and Dhayn, and that he assumed she wouldn't know about their mission the night before - even if she didn't. She stiffened and turned to fix him with a blank stare.

"Maybe the King should invest in a boat," Tru said from beside her, looking down at the empty water below. Tara looked at him with wide eyes, not sure if his usual humor was really appropriate in front of their commander, but her thoughts were cut off by her sire's laughter. She whipped her head back around and stared at Thrett in dumb silence.

"Or, perhaps he will make the WIPs strap on their swim trunks and go for a swim?" Thrett joked back. Tru smiled at him and Tara found herself snaking into his mind before she realized what she was doing. _Not such a tight-ass after all_ , he thought. Tara shook herself and closed down the mental link, looking down at her leather boots as she pushed her guilt away - she never liked to eavesdrop on her friends' thoughts, it just felt...wrong. Tru didn't seem to notice the intrusion so Tara regained her composure and started walking away from the two males, following the river upstream.

...

"Where are you going?" Tru asked as he ran to catch up with Tara. Thrett mumbled something from beside him, but Tru couldn't make out the words. She wasn't walking away so much a stalking. Tru scented the air again to see if he was missing something but only the smells of fallen leaves and murky water lingered in the cool breeze. He glanced ahead of Tara, expecting to see some sort of trail, and when nothing seemed to be there he repeated his question.

"He said I could lead, so I'm leading," she growled at him over her shoulder, never slowing her pace. Tru heard Thrett's muffled laughter and had a spike of irritation at the obstinate female. The trail had clearly gone dead and she was just too stubborn to give up.

"And where may I ask, are you leading us?" he persisted.

"They obviously left in a hurry, I'm guessing it was more of a run and hide, than a planned trip," she replied, picking up her pace to a near jog. Tru tried not to get distracted by her tight ass moving beneath her snug jeans. He matched her speed and screwed up his face in confusion.

"How do you know that?" he asked.

"The boat's rope was broken or cut, not untied," she answered plainly. Tru shook his head and smiled.

"Nice catch Prin...partner," he corrected himself, remembering that they had an audience.

She turned her head slightly and he caught her quick warning glance, but he also saw pride in her sapphire eyes. His lust for her simmered below the surface and he had to repress a shudder. Now was really not the time - having one of the gifted around was hard enough, two definitely kept him on his toes. He hoped that Thrett hadn't caught his brief lapse. The male obviously didn't respond well to males being interested in his daughter, if what happened with Dhayn was anything to go by. When he chanced a look over his shoulder the older male was watching him with an intense scrutiny, but he didn't seem angry, so Tru focused back on Tara's lead and got lost in the hunt.

Tara suddenly slowed in front of them and Tru immediately followed suit, silently coming to a slow crawl behind her. The industrial buildings had slowly backed off from the riverside replaced by smaller buildings and a boat launch. Tara stopped and pressed her back to an aluminum shed, her chest rising and falling as she slowed her breathing from the long run. Tru did the same, his heartbeat slowly receding from behind his ears, and that is when he heard it; voices hushed from inside of the building. Thrett pulled a long black dagger from a sheath on his back and crouched forward, clearly about to take over command. Tara pulled her two handguns from her belt and stood up to her full height in front of her sire. They glared at each other for a long moment, having a conversation Tru couldn't hear, but by the tension in Thrett's shoulders he could guess. Her display of strength and defiance had his cock stirring to life and he had to will his lust into check once again.

Finally, Thrett seemed to stand down, allowing Tara to resume her lead, a move that surprised Tru, but he didn't have time to fully process it before they were moving. Tru palmed his pistol and hurried to stay on their heels as they charged around the small structure. Tara lifted her right leg and brought it down on the small door to the building, smashing it off of its hinges.

They found their prey inside of the building; five nearly identical pale faces looked up in shock as they burst through the door. One stupid fuck made the mistake of lifting a revolver and Tru reacted on instinct; ducking to the side and firing his own weapon, nailing the bastard right between the eyes. After that all hell broke loose, bullets were let loose on both sides, a knife flew by his ear as he shot another Lesser in both arms to disarm him, he followed with two shots to his legs. Tara brought down two more with precise shots to the head and Thrett bore down on the last with a downward strike of his dagger. A loud pop and the Lesser disintegrated into a black stain on the already oil slick floor.

"I left one conscious for questioning sir," Tru said calmly, searching the small metal building for any other signs of attack. Thrett was busily finishing off the twitching Lessers but stopped at the one still trying to get up from the ground with his limbs covered in his own oily black blood. Tru had to swallow back bile.

"Good work you two," Thrett looked at them both in turn. "Tara." He just nodded at her in respect and then looked back at the Lesser. "Do a perimeter check while I call in an interrogation team," he ordered. Tru expected Tara to object to the order, but she turned obediently and headed out the door. He followed her, stunned.

Outside, the crisp winter air was a welcome gift. He breathed in greedily to wipe the smell of Lesser from his senses. Tru didn't know how Thrett could stand to stay in that small room with that stench. He jogged to catch up to Tara, who had stalked off around the small shed. The high from the fight had not worn off and as he drew near her his senses lit up like a Christmas tree. The closer he got to her the harder he got, his body pulsed with his need for her. She groaned deep in her throat, and although he knew it was in irritation, he wanted to hear the sound again.

Normally Tru would pull back, respect her boundaries, but he couldn't, not with the thrill of the hunt still humming in his veins. The heat of lust that he was always suppressing around Tara was burning beneath his skin and he needed to touch her, to kiss her, to _have_ her. Tara seemed to pick up on his thoughts, because she quickened her pace, moving from a walk to a light run. That only stirred the embers of the hunt within Tru, egging him on, as she became his prey.

As she sped around buildings and into a small wooded area, Tru closed the distance between them. His heart beat wildly in his chest as he finally caught up to her and pushed her against a nearby tree. The contact of their bodies snapped something within him and the simmering heat under his skin rose to the surface and he released it with a groan of relief and pleasure. Tara gasped beneath him and melted into his body so that he was the only thing holding her up.

"What are you doing to me?" she panted.

"Nothing...yet," he teased, grinding into her with his pelvis. The contact elicited another moan from Tara and the heat began to simmer again beneath his skin. Acting on instinct, he pushed it out to the surface of his skin and shivered as it left his body. Tara groaned deep in her throat and writhed beneath him. The friction on his rock hard erection sent bolts of pleasure through his whole body. She was responding to him, finally! He rocked his hips forward again, a thrill running through him as another moan escaped from her.

"Please Tru, please stop," she said on a breathy sigh. But even as the words fell from her lips, she leaned into him.

"But, you want this," he said, dropping his head to press his lips to the soft pale skin of her neck. "You want me," he continued, flicking his tongue out to run along the vein of her throat. His fangs descended with a dizzying speed.

"I didn't, before you...oh Virgin help me!" she gasped, as Tru sucked her earlobe into his mouth. Tru paused at the desperation in her tone. He pulled back to stare into her heavy lidded blue eyes. "Please, I love them, I can't..." Tara choked on a sob and Tru felt the heat leach right out of him. He pushed away from the tree and before he could blink she bolted from sight.

Tru rubbed his face with his hands, trying to understand what had just happened. Hadn't she responded to him? He had smelled her reaction to his touch, felt the way her body reached out for his. He groaned and punched the tree they had been pressed against. The bark crumbled away beneath his blow. Dhayn had clearly chosen Mel, but still Tara pined away for him, denied her feelings for Tru because of him. He ground his teeth and took a deep breath. _She definitely won't respond to anger so pull your shit together._ He calmed down his thoughts the way Tara had shown him, erecting his mental shields, and turned to follow the stubborn female.

...

Tara ran as fast as she could to put distance between her and Tru. She didn't know what the hell had gotten into her, or to him. She always had a bit of a fight on her hands warding off his advances, but tonight had been different. She had nearly had an orgasm at his touch, had barely been able to keep an image of Dhayn's face in her mind long enough to resist giving in to him completely.

The farther away she got the clearer her mind was, but that also brought with it some serious guilt. She couldn't deny her feelings for Tru were getting more...complicated, but whatever lust mojo thing he had going on was clearly messing with her head. She loved Dhayn and Mel, and her heart still said she belonged with them, but her head was spinning in confusion and all she really wanted was to be able to talk to her best friends. Her heart gave a painful squeeze in her chest.

"Are you alright Tehrrify?" Thrett said, coming up behind her. She hadn't heard him coming out of the shed. Some Warrior she was turning out to be.

"I...I'm..." she stammered, and then straightened her spine, meeting his eyes with as much confidence as she could muster. Tonight was about proving her worth as a Warrior and she wasn't going to fuck that up. "Awaiting your orders sir. The perimeter is clear."

"The guys are almost here, you can take the rest of the night off," he said with a kind smile. A sliver of doubt edged into her mind. Was he was thinking she needed the time off, that she couldn't take fighting?

"I am alright to continue patrol, I don't need a night off sir," she worked to not sound defensive.

"I know you don't need it Tehrrify, but you aren't high enough in rank to stay for the interrogation of the prisoner, and I already have men out patrolling," he paused and placed a hand on her shoulder, "you will be a great asset to the Brotherhood, of that I have no doubt."

Tara felt heat rising on her cheeks at his words. "Thank you sir," she said, bowing her head slightly. She felt more than heard Tru come into the lot behind her. She stiffened and reinforced her mental shields - he wasn't going to get through this time.

"Take the rest of the night off Intrudehr," Thrett spoke over her head. He squeezed her shoulder and walked back toward the old shed. Once he was inside Tru cleared his throat, the nervous gesture so unlike him. Tara wanted to pry, to find out what he was thinking, but she didn't dare lift her shields again. The awkward silence steeped around them, itching beneath her skin until she couldn't take it any more.

"Say what you have to say, and then I am going home," she said bluntly, finally looking up to meet his eyes. They were shielded from her, cast downward as he focused on the ground between his shit-kickers. It made Tara uneasy to be cut off from that method of reading him too. It was like being closed into a soundproof room.

"You don't want to hear what I have to say Princess," he said, glancing up and finally giving her a glimpse of his gold-flecked eyes. Tara took an involuntary step back at the potency of emotion swirling in the metallic depths.

She expected to feel the playful insistent prodding of lust that always accompanied those looks from Tru, but she felt nothing. That was much worse for some reason - like getting a mouthful of water when you are expecting juice. She peeled back her own layer of resistance, ignoring her conscience telling her otherwise, and reached for Tru's mental energy. She hit a wall, one she could break - the flaws were obvious to her - but the mere fact that it was there halted her.

"You're blocking me?" she asked, stepping forward and cocking her head.

"You asked me to, remember?" he replied dryly, his voice a harsh desert wind instead of the wet lusty heat she was used to. "Right before you ran away from me."

"Sorry," she said reflexively. "I was...it was too much for me." It was Tara's turn to study the ground. "I don't know how you did it, but all that lust back there wasn't me," she turned and walked slowly over to the churning black river, needing the calming sound of the water to soothe her nerves.

"It wasn't all me either Princess," Tru said coming up behind her. He left an inch of space between them, but Tara felt the heat radiating off of his body like static energy dancing along her skin. "I wasn't holding back, but you responded, don't pretend you didn't."

Tara tried to remember through the fog of lust to what was happening in the woods. Her inner muscles rippled in remembered pleasure. She shook her head to dislodge the mental image of Tru pushing her up against the tree. She had wanted him, but she had also wanted him to stop. The emotions were both strong, but she was certain that something, or someone, outside of her own mind, had fed into her lust. She knew the flavors of emotions like a chef knows his herbs, and something had been too _spicy_ about her hunger for Tru's touch.

"You were projecting your need onto me Tru, I don't know how you did it, but you did," Tara tried to soften her tone but he still recoiled, leaving a cool breeze at her back. Tara didn't turn to him, she was afraid of what she would see if she did.

"No," he said after a long silence. "You feel something for me Tara, it might not be as strong as my feelings for you but it's there." He gently grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him. Tara repressed a shiver at the passion in his eyes.

"You know I can't be with you Tru, you're just going to end up hurt if you keep trying to push this," Tara gestured between them. "Let it go, move on. I'm sure there are plenty of females who would cross oceans to be with you, but I can't, I love Dhayn and Mel."

"I don't deny that you love them, but you of all people know that you can love more that one person at once," he said softly, caressing her face with a warm calloused hand. "Why not three?"

Tara shook her head gently, breaking eye contact to stare at his chest.

"How long will you wait?" he asked, running his thumb along her jaw in a gentle touch that made her heart ache at his tenderness.

"As long as it takes," Tara said, the ache in her chest intensifying. "Until my father changes his mind."

"We both know that is never going to happen Princess, so how long? How long will you spend your nights alone? How long will you torture yourself watching them be together?

Until they're mated?"

"They would never...that wouldn't happen." Tara stepped away from his touch, a chill that had nothing to do with the weather settling in her gut. That was a future that none of them could have. Even if her father miraculously came around, they would still have to face the rest of their people. The majority of their race did not accept polygamous relationships, and Tara had never heard of the Scribe Virgin blessing such a union. Tears welled in her eyes and Tara took another step back.

"I'm sorry Tara, I didn't mean to upset you," Tru said, his features softening in worry.

"Yeah, well you did," she snapped back at him. Without another word she dematerialized home.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

****

Mel snuggled into Dhayn in the dark theater. They had pushed the armrest back so that she could lean into him while they watched a sappy chick-flick. Dhayn wasn't thrilled about Mel's movie choice, but he caved when she offered two hours of cuddling during the movie. If they couldn't...do more, than he would take the cuddling. The tension in the room was palpable, and Mel's insides melted like butter as Dhayn ran his warm palm down her back. She had to focus very hard on the movie to keep from climbing onto his lap.

"How do you think Tara is doing on her first mission?" he asked, pulling her attention away from the movie. Mel was taken aback by his sudden question; clearly his mind wasn't in the same place as hers... _pity_.

"Knowing Tara, she'll do more than fine, and Thrett went out with them so I'm guessing she's pissed," Mel smiled to herself, thinking of her strong-willed best friend. "That'll just make her meaner, I almost feel sorry for the poor fuckers. They won't see her coming." Mel let out a small laugh, and her head shook with the rumble of Dhayn's laughter beneath her. The warm masculine tones caressed her inside and out. Her inner walls tensed in anticipation. She did her best to tamper her sudden urges.

"We'll have to text her in a bit. Our plan of telling her about last night at first meal didn't really work out," Dhayn said, brushing a hand through her hair. Mel couldn't suppress her moan of pleasure. The tingling beneath his fingertips traveled all the way from her scalp to her core.

"Maybe if you hadn't kept me up until almost noon I would have been up at sundown." Mel squeezed his muscular thigh.

They had sparred in the gym when they got back from the raid - without sex they needed something to burn off all that pent up energy and adrenaline. Mel had gotten her ass handed to her - she was still sore. His hand traveled slowly down her back to cup that very ass.

"You needed to make up for that stunt at the river," he said in a gruff voice, his hand lightly smacking her cheek. Images of a very different type of punishment flitted through her mind; silk scarves binding her wrists and Dhayn's big hands branding her ass - now if that's how he punished, she would be bad more often. The couple onscreen chose that exact moment to start removing each other's clothing. The sultry background music filled the theater with an almost tangible sense of anticipation.

"I think we should invest in some handcuffs for the bedroom," Mel said, finding Dhayn's nipple through his thin cotton shirt with her lips and biting down on it, careful not to pierce through his shirt with her slowly extending fangs. Dhayn's abs tensed under her palm and he let out a low growl.

"Oh you think so do you? Well, you'd have to pin me first." He wrapped his arms around her and used them to pull her onto his lap. She was trapped against his hard body, the pulsing heat of his shaft nudged teasingly at her core through his cargo pants. She fought his hold, desperate for friction, but he held her steady.

Mel sunk into him, melding her softness against his stiff body. She nuzzled her nose along his chin and down his jaw to his exposed throat. She thrust her tongue out and laved a languorous trail down the vein pulsing just beneath his skin. Her hunger for him stirred to a fever and before she could stop herself, she bit down, her fangs piercing his skin and sending shivers of pleasure throughout her whole body. Her orgasm crashed over her on her second pull of his sweet lifeblood. Dhayn bucked his hips beneath her until she pulled back to stare into his lust-filled eyes, a triumphant smile on her crimson lips.

"You don't play fair," Dhayn said, reaching for the fly on her jeans.

Mel slowly licked her lips. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said with a mischievous grin.

She bucked forward when he shoved his large hand beneath her panties to cup her mound, her eyes going wide with shock. Her nerves were still so sensitive from her orgasm that she nearly cried out at the contact.

"I tell you what," Dhayn started, curling a finger up into her channel, his voice low and husky with need. Mel moaned and began to move instinctively on his hand with a swivel of her hips. "If I ever deserve the punishment, I will submit to you," he finished, punctuating his words by adding a second finger.

"And who gets to decide if you deserve it?" Mel asked, trying to hold on to her thoughts while he assaulted her senses. He began kissing a slow trail up her arm. Goosebumps raced over her skin as a shiver of pleasure ran down her spine.

"Me."

"No way, it would have to be a third party - for it to be fair. Oh sweet Virgin that feels good."

"Tara," Dhayn replied between kisses, "although I think she'd be biased. She might want a turn." He stilled, as if just realizing his own words, and then sat back in his chair. He looked up, staring deep into Mel's eyes. She watched his multihued gaze and gave him a gentle smile.

"I miss her too," Mel whispered, lifting a hand to run her fingertips down his jaw line. His skin was silky smooth from a fresh shave.

"I don't know how much longer I can wait Mel." Dhayn began to softly caress her folds again, the gentle seduction scrambling Mel's thoughts. "I don't want to hurt her, but if I don't get to fuck one or both of you soon I am going to fucking lose my mind," he growled, pumping two fingers into her channel as his thumb rubbed over her sensitive clit.

Mel moaned and writhed, throwing her head back in pleasure. Dhayn slowly withdrew his hand. She peeled back her eyelids and begged him with her eyes to give her release - she was so close. Dhayn met her pleading look with his sea glass blue and green stare and raised an eyebrow, rocking his hips so that she could feel the hard length of him straining against the fly of his pants.

Mel was lost in a sea of lust; her body alight with her pulsing need and Dhayn's blood coursing through her veins. A part of her knew there was a reason her and Dhayn were abstaining from sex, but it was a very small part, and not loud enough to drown out the overwhelming craving for his cock.

...

Dhayn was so driven by his need, that he didn't even register taking off his pants and boxers. One minute Mel was straddling his lap, and the next he had her pinned to the soft carpet of the floor in front of the seats, with the head of his throbbing penis poised at her entrance. Dhayn gripped the base of his shaft tight to keep from coming too quickly as he slowly sank into her wet heat.

It was like water to a man stranded in the desert. He shuddered against the overwhelming pleasure of their long denied union. His movements were slow and steady as he tried to hold on as long as he could. He savored every slide, every pulse, and every gentle squeeze of her inner muscles as he claimed his female. He crushed his mouth to hers, battling her tongue for dominance. The fever of their kiss drove him to thrust faster. The rich musk of his bonding scent enveloped them and Mel came under him, murmuring his name against his lips. He released his grip on his shaft and buried himself to the hilt, his face pushing into the crook of her neck. The strong scent of her blood called to him like a siren's song and he couldn't resist it any longer. He sank his elongated fangs into her delicate skin and drank deep. He lost all control and pulsed his seed into her with a loud groan of ecstasy.

He kept himself suspended above her, not wanting to separate from her body. He didn't know how long it would be until they could be together again, and he was in no rush for this moment to be over. He kissed her softly, sweetly, but something inside still felt unresolved. Her soft lips caressed his and her beautiful bronze eyes bored into his with a heat far from extinguished. He lowered is lips to her chin and kissed a trail along her jaw until he reached her soft earlobe. He pulled the tender flesh into his mouth and laved it with his tongue, reveling in her shudders. Dhayn's cock stirred to life again, still buried deep within her and they both groaned in shared pleasure.

It was easier to take things slowly the second time, and even easier the third. Afterward Mel lay with her head nestled against his chest and Dhayn felt as close to content as he had been in months.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to be together again?" she asked.

"I don't know," he answered without needing explanation. He couldn't keep his mind away from thoughts of Tara in the aftermath of their lovemaking, and he wasn't surprised that Mel was the same.

"Do you still want to be with both of us?"

"Of course I do," he said, squeezing her tight into his chest. "Do you?"

"Yes, but..."

"But?"

"But, what if Tara doesn't?"

"Why, has she said something to you?" Dhayn sat up a little to meet her concerned gaze. His heart picked up its pace.

"No, I just keep thinking that she's spending a lot of time with Tru."

"And?" Dhayn's possessiveness had the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He tampered back the jealous rage that threatened to overwhelm his thoughts so that he could focus on what Mel was saying.

"And, well he's really attractive, and rich, and he practically drools over her...I don't know, I'm just freaked out and confused." Mel looked truly tormented, and that brought Dhayn's focus back to the female in his arms.

"Me too," Dhayn said, rubbing her back gently. "We are going to figure this thing out. One way or another we are going to be happy - you are going to be happy."

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too."

...

Tara stepped back from her balcony door, closing it to shut out the bone-chilling night air. Her pulse was thundering behind her ears and her thoughts were a blur of emotions. She needed to find Mel and Dhayn.

She stripped off her jacket and tossed it on her bed. The buckles for her holsters had never taken so long to take off as she fumbled with the straps at her chest, arms and thighs. She left her ankle holster strapped in place with her small pistol, but peeled off her dirty pants and shirt to slip on a fresh pair of jeans and low-cut knit sweater. The soft black cashmere was a gentle kiss on her skin as her arms pushed through the sleeves.

Tara didn't know exactly where her lovers were, but she could feel a tugging sensation when she concentrated on them - a side effect of the blood they had shared. It was hard to believe how much time had passed since her sire had interrupted their whirlwind romance. Tara clenched her fists in frustration as she stalked through the big empty hallways of the mansion.

When their training was over, and their positions in the Brotherhood secured, Tara was going to give Thrett a piece of her mind. He had no right to tell her who she could love - and if he hadn't have meddled into her personal life she wouldn't be in this strange position with Tru. She felt an odd pressure in her chest when she thought about what had happened out in the forest. She couldn't put her finger on what she was feeling, she didn't even know if it was good or bad, and that scared the shit out of her.

She knew that she didn't love Tru, or at least not the way she felt about Dhayn and Mel, but there was something there. Was it just the enforced abstinence? Was it just a case of a cute guy being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or _the right place if it were up to him,_ Tara mused. She had to have a sexual reaction to someone eventually; it had been months!

Tara picked up her pace, needing to find her friends and hopefully put her mind at ease. Maybe if she and Mel just... Tara cut off her thoughts before she moved into the mind numbing state of fantasy. She made her way down a set of stairs and into the shared wing of the mansion. She hurried down the hallway, her instincts telling her that they were in the theater room. Tara smiled to herself, of course they would be watching a movie, some things never change.

She was halfway down the hall when she spotted Mel's mahmen. The female was decked out in a lavender velvet gown and was brimming with happiness and hope. The emotions washed over Tara, lightening her mood, and reminding her that she needed to reinforce her mental shields. When Cynthia noticed Tara walking toward her, her smile faded and a cold glint passed through her bronze eyes. The change in her made Tara pause. Sure, she hadn't talked to Cynthia much since their argument, but she never thought that the female would still be angry with her.

"I thought you were on patrol tonight Tehrrify," she said, stopping in Tara's path.

"I was, we completed our mission and I got the night off," Tara smiled politely and fought the urge to pry into Cynthia's mind. Why was she so irritated?

"Well, that's nice dear," she said with a forced smile. "How about you come and take a look at the new dresses I had made for the New Moon Ball?" Cynthia rested a hand on Tara's waist in an effort to shepherd her back the way she had come.

"I would love to," Tara replied, stepping away from her hand. "I am just going to find Mel and Dhayn first. I haven't seen them in quite awhile and I'd like to catch up." Tara went to step around Cynthia, but the female blocked her path again, her expression frustrated.

"Leave them be Tehrrify," she said coolly.

"I'm sorry Cynthia, but I'd like to see my friends, and I'm sure they would like to see me too, so if you'll excuse me." Tara stepped quickly around the female, annoyed at her interference.

"You don't want to go in there right now they are...indisposed."

"They're wha..." Tara realized Cynthia's meaning and tried not to show her shock. "Well, I'm sure they will be done soon, or I could just join them," Tara said before she could stop herself. She regretted her words the moment they left her lips.

The color rising on Cynthia's face showed her anger even before the prickling assault on Tara's mental shield.

"You. Will. Not," Cynthia bit out, stepping into Tara's personal space. "I know how your sire feels about your meddling in my daughter's relationship, and I will not have you compromising Dhayn's future for your own selfish gain."

Tara had never seen a look of such hatred coming from Mel's mahmen, and it gave her pause. "I would never do anything to hurt either of them, you have to know that." Tara met her eyes with sincerity and hoped to find some understanding there. There was none.

"You are hurting both of them by continuing this ridiculous game."

"It's not a game, I love them," Tara said defensively.

"He loves _her_ , and you are the only reason they aren't mated yet. My Mel would never hurt you, but you don't seem to share that sentiment." Cynthia straightened her back, and although she was shorter than Tara by a couple of inches, she managed to look down on her.

"Clearly you don't know me at all," Tara said shortly, and stormed away from her toward the theater.

"I thought you were better than this Tehrrify," Cynthia called after her. The words sliced through Tara and she was glad that she wasn't facing the female as she flinched under the verbal blow.

She reached the door and paused with her hand on the handle. Her already volatile emotions were worked up into a storm that threatened to overwhelm her. She was no longer sure of the right path. What was the best answer for all of them? Was she being selfish? Was she being stupid in waiting for them? Did it matter to her that they had continued on in their relationship without her? Sure she had told them that it was fine, but agreeing to it hypothetically and it actually happening was turning out to feel a whole lot different.

Tara let out a sigh and rested her head against the cool door. The thick metal was made to be soundproof, so that the rest of the house didn't have to be disturbed when someone wanted to watch a loud movie, but it also meant that Tara couldn't tell what was really going on in there.

After a couple of minutes, her curiosity got the better of her and she quietly pried the door open just enough so that she could slip in unnoticed. The room was filled with a soft love song as the credits rolled on the big screen. Tara looked over the seats and couldn't see anyone in the theater. _Cynthia is a lying bitch_ , she thought, turning to leave the room. Just as she reached for the door she heard a noise from the front of the room.

Tara turned and crept closer to the screen, passing empty rows of seats on the way. She heard them before she saw them, a low breathy moan escaping Mel's lips. Dhayn was moving slowly over Mel, running his fingers through her long chestnut hair and devouring her lips with his.

The scene twisted something deep within Tara. It was more than just seeing them make love without her; the emotions pulsing through the room were like a rhythmic bass, and they reverberated through her and shook her to the core. A lump formed in her throat.

Tara turned from the lovers on the floor and rushed out of the dark room. She sped through the hallways and didn't stop until she was out in the back yard. The tears slipping down her cheeks turned to ice in the freezing night air and her lungs rebelled against the gasps of air she was pulling in to calm herself.

_I thought you were better than this,_ Cynthia's words replayed in her mind. Tara paced back and forth trying to make sense of her turmoil. She had worn a trail into the frost-covered grass by the time sunrise was approaching, and she did the only thing she could think of to do.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

 

Tru stepped out of the shower onto the heated granite tiled floor, and grabbed his toothbrush from the cup on the matching countertop. He watched himself absentmindedly in the mirror as he scrubbed his teeth and was just rinsing out his mouth when he heard a knocking sound drift in from the other room. He wrapped a soft grey towel around his waist and grabbed his Beretta from the top drawer of his vanity, gripping it tightly in his right hand. He wasn't expecting any company, so he crept as silently as he could as he followed the noise out into his main living space. His eyes went immediately to a shadow at his glass balcony doors. He relaxed immediately, he would recognize that silhouette anywhere, but why was she on his balcony just before sunrise?

Tru dropped his gun on his coffee table with a loud clang, and hurried over to the door to unlock it. The dark night sky was turning a brooding purple with the encroaching dawn. He pulled Tara into the room as his sun-blocking shutters began to close in from both sides. They were set to automatically engage just before the break of dawn, if he didn't close them manually. He shut the sliding glass door and relocked it. Turning to face the room, he found Tara pacing his living area with her arms crossed rightly over her tight black sweater. The soft hum of the shutters moving in their tracks silenced suddenly as they locked into place, sealing out the sun, and sealing them in together.

"What's up Princess?" he asked tentatively, a smile playing on his lips despite, or perhaps because of her anxious behavior. There was a long pause as she continued her pacing, all the while nibbling on her bottom lip. Finally she stopped and turned to face him.

"What did you do tonight," she laughed, "or I guess _who_ did you do tonight would be the better question, right?" She resumed her pacing at a slower pace. Tru gave a halfhearted laugh at her joke.

"Actually," Tru started, crossing the room to stand closer to her, "I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law. They called just after you vanished. It seems I'm an uncle to a beautiful baby girl." Tru grinned as his news halted her steps.

"Oh," she smiled shyly, "w-what's her name?"

"Rylan," he said simply, smiling as he remembered the tiny female's rosy pink cheeks.

"And your sister? How is she?"

"She is happy and healthy."

"That's...great," Tara said, but the tiny crease between her eyebrows gave away her still-present frustration. Tru's curiosity was piqued, but after a few more minutes of silence he realized that he would have to fish for what was wrong with her.

"So, what is it that's got you all upset this time Princess?" Tru asked. Tara looked momentarily taken back by his question, but her expression soon changed to curiosity.

"Has anyone ever turned you down...like for sex?" she asked, avoiding his question once again.

Tru had to work to cover up his shock. He was not expecting _that_. He looked down and was surprised to realize that he was still wearing nothing but a towel. He turned away from Tara and made his way across the large open space to grab some boxers from the end of his bed. Having a loft made for less privacy, but he lived alone so he never really needed it, and it sure was convenient having everything at hand.

"I think you know the answer to that question," he replied, smiling at her suggestively. Tara rolled her eyes and flopped down onto his black leather couch, facing away from him. He dropped the towel and pulled on his black boxer-briefs.

"I meant other than me. Has there been anyone who you couldn't get into your bed?" she pressed. Tru thought about his answer as he walked back around the couch to face her.

"I don't know, probably." He shrugged. "I can't think of anyone off the top of my head, but I'm sure there has been. Why?"

"I'm working on a theory," she said, sitting forward with her elbows on her denim-clad knees. "Just go along with me for a minute please, this is important."

"Okay," Tru replied, taking the seat beside her. Tara shifted so that she was facing him, looking intently into his eyes. Their knees made contact and heat stirred to life in his gut. Tru felt his erection growing at just the simple touch and he berated himself internally for the weakness. "What do you want to know?"

"Has anyone ever... _not_ wanted you in the beginning, and then...changed their mind?" she asked carefully. Tru tried to keep his mild shock under wraps. He was getting more and more adventurous of late, going for harder to land lays, but he hadn't told Tara about his sexual habits.

"I guess, there have been a couple that were unsure at first." He suddenly remembered the female from the night before; a supermodel from New York City that tried very hard to use her long-term boyfriend as a deterrent. Tru had her on her knees by the end of the night. He swallowed and Tara tracked the motion with her piercing blue eyes. "Where is this going Princess?"

"I think…I think you can make people want you," Tara said bluntly. It was a shot to his gut and he recoiled in response.

"I never make anyone do anything!" Tru stood up and paced away from her. He may be persistent in his conquests but he would never force anyone into anything.

"That's not what I mean Tru, just listen to me. I think you are like me, but different, you put off this...vibe, and it's nearly impossible to resist," she tried to explain.

Tru turned back to face her, his still present erection making a tent of the thin black fabric below his waist. Tara's eyes dropped and widened at the sight.

"So I am one of the Gifted, but my only power is an overactive sex drive? Wishful thinking Princess, I know you are trying to explain your feelings for me away, but I am not letting you off that easy." Tru raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"I'm not making this up, and I am not asking you to," she replied.

"You're not asking me to what?" Tru demanded.

"To let me off," she said, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I want you to use your gift on me, I don't think I can do this otherwise."

"Do what?" Tru didn't think she could possibly mean what he was thinking, but his shoulders relaxed as he slowly came out of his defensive posture. Tara didn't answer him. Her cheeks reddened further as she got up from her seat and walked slowly toward him, locking her eyes onto his.

The heat Tru had grown so used to brimmed to life and became a slow-burning fire, coursing through his veins. He clenched his fists at his sides to keep from reaching out to her, from using her to quench the flames that were stirring up to a greater frenzy with each step she took closer to him. Tara sucked in a sharp breath.

"Yes, like that." She reached out to him and laid a hand on his bare bicep.

Tru had no idea what she was talking about, but when her hand brushed along his skin the fire pushed forward without him even thinking, latching onto her fingertips and siphoning out of his body and into hers. Tru quivered at the exchange - nearly climaxing just from that simple touch. He reached out tentatively and laid his hands on her slender hips. The soft fabric of her black sweater caressed his fingertips and invited him to trail them over her flat stomach.

"Why now?" he asked, needing to know before things got any more out of hand, and he lost all ability to think clearly. Something was still...off.

"I need to let them go," she said, her voice full of sadness. Tru pulled back from her, her words a slap of reality.

"So this is about _them_ , not about you and me?" He tried to keep the bite out of his words, but he had forgotten to tamper his emotions. He watched as his hurt and jealousy hit her and she cringed against the mental blow. Tru stepped back from her and worked to put up his mental shields like Tara had taught him.

"Please Tru," she begged, her piercing blue eyes filling with unshed tears. "I know you want me, and I need to do this, I need to move on, just like you said." She grabbed the hem of her sweater and started to tug it up, exposing her soft pale skin.

"Stop," Tru's said, moving forward to still her hand. The rejection in her eyes nearly undid him, but he wasn't going to take advantage of her, especially after the accusations she had been throwing around. Especially not after everything they had been through - after waiting for so long. "I want you Princess, but not like this." He reached down and tilted her chin up so that he could capture her gaze. "Now tell me what's wrong."

...

Tara lay with her cheek pressed against Tru's muscular chest. It wasn't the comfiest of pillows but she couldn't bring herself to pull away from his embrace. She was drifting in and out of sleep, waking at every sound or motion, not used to sharing a bed with anyone other than Mel - and even then it was usually her own, not the silky satin covered mattress she was cuddled up in.

More than the strange bed, her thoughts kept her awake. Why hadn't Tru fucked her? She had always assumed that was his end game - to win their battle of teasing and rejection and get her into his bed. _Well, I guess he did that much_ , she smiled to herself.

He had made her talk about what had happened with Dhayn and Mel, had even put on more clothes to cover up his raging hard-on, but had refused all of her advances. Tara had been exhausted from crying and, still somewhat hoping to weaken his resolve, had agreed to share his bed. Much to her surprise, nothing happened.

Now she lay in his arms, his clean male scent surrounding her, trying to figure out why his actions weren't matching his emotions. Maybe she had given Tru too little credit? She had blown him off as nothing but a playboy, but looking back over their months together she began to realize that she wasn't really being fair to him. Tara could feel the stirrings of guilt in the pit of her stomach. He really was a true friend, and she had just tried to use him like a glorified man-whore. She would have to apologize when he woke up.

Tru murmured in his sleep and Tara smiled at the incoherent words. She wondered what he was dreaming about, and without thinking about it, she lifted her shields and touched his mind with hers.

There was a wave of lust that had her nearly moaning aloud as flashes of Tru burying his face between her legs flitted through her mind along the link they now shared.

She should have pulled back, respected his privacy, but she was lost to the draw of him. Even in his sleep he had a magnetic pull that held her captivated as his dreaming mind conjured up scene after scene of the two of them in every imaginable position. Tara felt a new kind of heat as the dream drew her in deeper, until she reached out within his dream, to steer it in a certain direction. That brought her back to reality with a jolt _. Whoa, I can do that?_ Tara thought excitedly, her pulse a loud beating drum in her ears. _Hmmm now this could be interesting_.

…

"We need to find her," Dhayn argued with his uncle, struggling against his firm grip on Dhayn's shoulder.

"And we will, but not until sundown," the male replied sternly. Dhayn felt like a youngling again when Stehlth used that tone with him. He would usually have bowed to the threat behind the words, but not today, not with Tara missing and no word from her since dawn.

"Move out of my way Stehlth, I'm not stupid, I'll wait until the sun is hidden behind the hills," he growled, shaking off the male's hand.

"She's fine Dhayn," Mel assured him, though there was worry clearly evident in her bronze eyes.

"I can't feel her," Dhayn said curtly, turning to face Mel.

"You haven't exchanged blood with her in months, and even still, she could just be sleeping," she pointed out.

"Or she could be drugged, or the Virgin knows what else." Dhayn threw his hands up in exasperation. Mel and Stehlth still stood firmly between him and the door to the vestibule. He needed to find Tara, to follow whatever remained of their bond and bring her safely home. "Why aren't you taking this threat seriously? You both know as well as I do that Warriors have been disappearing and showing up dead for months."

"And you will only add to that death toll if you do something stupid like risking the sun to find her," Stehlth said, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. Dhayn knew that the older male would restrain him if he tried to push passed. He started to consider the other exits from the house, but most were under lockdown until the sun was fully set. The vestibule was his only chance at an immediate exit.

"Please D, don't let panic cloud your judgment, just wait a few more minutes and we can go and find her together," Mel pleaded, her hand reaching out for his. He allowed her to take it and felt a reassuring squeeze that did nothing to assuage his worry. He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath.

"She is fine," Thrett's voice boomed from the top of the stairs. Dhayn whirled around to face him. The tension had left his commander's stance, and that alone helped to set Dhayn at ease. "She had her phone off while she was sleeping and will be home after first meal." Thrett turned to walk back toward his office, but Dhayn called out to stop him.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"At a friend's apartment." Thrett waved off any further questions and receded back down the hall. The fear had left the male's eyes, but tension on his face gave away the remnants of anger and anxiety still brewing beneath the surface. Tara was going to be in deep shit when she got home.

"What friend?" Dhayn asked, turning to Mel just as she said, "Intrudehr."

"It would be best if you two ate something and got ready for your shift," Stehlth interrupted, walking around them toward the dining room.

"Right," Mel said softly, her face lined with confusion. She walked slowly after Stehlth, pulling Dhayn along by the hand she still held in her own.

"She didn't tell anyone," Dhayn whispered, more to himself than anyone else, of course Mel heard him and her shoulders tensed. "I'm sure it's nothing," he went on, "she hangs out with Intrudehr all the time."

He really wished he could believe his own words, but this felt different – Tara had never stayed with anyone other than her aunt, and Dhayn feared what this could mean. A cold shiver ran down his back. Was she giving up on them?

"She's a grown female, and she can stay out if she wants to," Mel said, squaring her shoulders. "I'm sure she's going to tell me all about it when we get back."

"Yeah, probably," Dhayn replied dispassionately.

He would find Tara if she didn't find one of them first. There was no way he could let her just walk away from what they had, there had to be some compromise, some way to save their relationship. He cleared his throat against the lump forming and gave Mel's hand a gentle squeeze. They would figure it out, together. He was probably just jumping to conclusions anyway.

They walked the rest of the way to dining room in silence. Mel's parents were seated at the table with Stehlth. A large array of pastries, cheeses and meats were laid out on the large rectangular table, and the doggen were busily bringing in coffee and more steaming plates of food from the kitchen. Dhayn's stomach grumbled in response to the display and he gave into the distraction of his hunger to help get his mind off of Tara. There was nothing he could do until he saw her.

They sat down at the table with Mel next to her mahmen. Dhayn was trying his best to seem attentive as the others tried to include him in their conversations. It was easier once Huntehr came in and took a seat across from him. They shifted into battle stories and soon Dhayn's belly was full and he was laughing along with Huntehr at one of his jokes. Mel's voice pulled his attention back to her – she had been silent most of the meal.

"No, she didn't find us…when was this?" Mel asked her mahmen.

"Last night. I think you two were in the theater," Cynthia said, her cheeks filling with color. "I told her as much, and she headed that way."

"Huh. Weird," Mel said, reaching under the table to grasp Dhayn's knee. She turned and caught his eye with her startled expression, and he didn't need to read her mind to know what she was thinking. Dhayn knew exactly what Tara would have seen if she had gone to the theater last night. He reached below the table and enveloped her small hand with his.

"Well, at least we know why," he whispered quietly in her ear. Mel nodded mutely and went back to picking at the food on her plate.

_Now all I have to do is find her._

…

Tara ended the call with her sire and bit her bottom lip as she slipped her phone into her jeans pocket. She hadn't even thought about telling anyone where she was going last night, granted she hadn't really been thinking clearly.

"Everything alright Princess?" Tru asked from the open-concept kitchen across the room. It was strange having every room in the same room – well apart from the bathroom thankfully. Tara wasn't sure if she would like loft-style living, but it sure was a nice change from the gargantuan museum of a house she was raised in. Tru's spacious loft looked a lot different from the last time she had been over; with separate areas furnished for eating, sleeping, and hanging out.

"I think he is going to tear a strip off me when I get home, but yeah, everything's fine," she replied, reaching for the steaming mug of coffee on the table in front of her. The big blue mug required two hands. She cradled it to her chest and breathed in the rich aroma; a dark roast with a blend of vanilla and hazelnut. She smiled into the mug with her first sip. _This is heaven_.

"You could stay for the night if you want," Tru offered. "Or we could go out."

"Delaying the inevitable." Tara shook her head and took another sip. Not that the offer wasn't tempting, but she knew her sire would only get angrier the longer he had to wait – better to get it over with before things got out of hand.

"It's your night off, you don't even have to report in." Tru finished doctoring up his own cup of coffee and walked around the kitchen island to lean against one of the barstools. He was wearing a pair of baggy sweats that hung low on his hips, and nothing to cover up his chiseled chest and abs. Tara couldn't help but run her eyes over the impressive display, lingering a little too long on the golden trail that led from his navel to the waistband of his pants. She quickly took great interest in the caramel brown of her coffee.

"You don't know Thrett," Tara said simply. She glanced up at him after a few moments of silence. He was running a hand through his short blonde hair with an odd look on his face. She finished what was left in her mug and set it back on the table. The action seemed to pull him out of his thoughts.

"You should come and meet Rylan," Tru said. "I mean, if you want to. I know my sister would love to meet you."

Tara was shocked silent by his offer. Sure, they had become close friends, and she did kind of show up on his doorstep for a booty call, but that just made it harder for her to understand their relationship. What would meeting his family mean? _It's only his sister_ , she reasoned. _It's not like he's bringing you home to meet the folks. But still…_

"Or not," Tru interrupted her thoughts. "I don't even know if you like younglings. It was just a suggestion – you know, to escape the wrath of your sire."

"Yeah, I know," Tara reassured him, "and I would love to meet your niece, but I have to go home first."

"Face the angry bull and then come out to play?" Tru joked. Tara smiled, and it felt nice. It had been way too long since she had genuinely smiled.

"I'm not making any promises," Tara said, getting to her feet. Tru got up from his stool to walk her to the balcony door. She already knew that she would go, she had never seen a newborn in person before, but she couldn't give in that easily.

"I'll message you the address, unless you've changed your mind," Tru said suggestively, reaching out to run his fingertips down her neck. It was the first time he had made an advance toward her since she had shown up, and it threw her a little off kilter. But, this was their game: their whole relationship was based on him flirting and her denying. Last night she had messed up their balance, but this morning…

"Maybe later golden boy," Tara teased. She reached around and smacked his ass, not failing to notice how nice that ass was, and left the way she had come. The cheeky grin on his face before she dematerialized home was the same one she was used to, when things between them were normal. Now, if only she could figure out what she wanted her normal to be.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

 

Tara climbed the big master staircase with a lump in her throat the size of a tennis ball. Her rubber-soled shoes didn't make a sound as they struck each red carpeted step. She could already feel the waves of frustration and anger floating like a tangible smoke in the air, and that didn't help to calm her nerves. Her sire was in a very bad mood, and once again it was her fault. She halted on the top step and seriously considered turning down the hall and hiding in her room until Thrett came and found her, but he must have sensed her out in the hallway, because his emotions suddenly dissipated and he called out to her from his office. Tara mentally restored her own shields and took a deep breath before taking the five steps needed to enter his office.

"Hi daddy," she said meekly, hoping that she could play the innocent daughter card and escape the angry Commander.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Thrett growled out. He stood facing her on the opposite side of the room, leaning forward with his palms on his desk - the muscles and tendons running up and down his arms were bulging with tension.

"I needed some space, so I stayed at Tru's place," Tara explained. "I told you that on the phone." She tried her best to keep the attitude out of her voice but his face grew a shade redder in response to her flippant words.

"At that point I was just happy that you were alive. Now I need to know what that pretty little head of yours was thinking - leaving the mansion, without notice, without contacting anyone about your whereabouts, and without any means for me to reach you!" His voice had grown louder with each word and Tara gripped the back of one of the leather chairs facing his desk to keep from cowering away from the sound.

There was a whole lot of authority behind that voice, and father or not, her instincts told her to heed to his words.

"I'm sorry," she said into the heavy silence. "I wasn't thinking clearly." Tara lifted her own shields to let him feel her sincerity. "I will leave my phone on next time I stay away from the mansion."

"There should be no next time, Tehrrify. You are safer here during the daylight hours, the Brotherhood is protected this way."

"I'm not part of the Brotherhood," Tara said indignantly. He had no right to keep her locked up, and there was no way that she could stay here after…she shuddered just thinking about where things were headed with Dhayn and Mel. Tara quickly slammed her shields back in place.

"I can see that something has got you all worked up, but those are the rules and you will abide by them if you wish to become one of us." Thrett bore down on her with his fierce burning blue eyes.

"If Tru can stay at his place, than why can't I?" Tara demanded.

"Tru is not my daughter."

"Well, it's not a Brotherhood issue than is it?" Tara accused. "Until I am sworn in I don't have to stay at one of the compounds, and it's not fair for you to treat me differently than any other Warrior."

Tara hadn't planned on starting this fight, but the frustration and anger of living under his control was starting to rear its ugly head. She wished for the first time that he wasn't her Commander - that he was just her sire. Even if he was just another male, Tara would have decked him and told him where he could stick his unwanted opinions and his unsubstantiated disapproval.

"You are not just any other Warrior!" Thrett shouted.

"Yes, I am!" Tara yelled right back.

"You can control what I do when I am in the training center or on patrol, but not what I do with my own time. And you sure as hell can't control who I love!" Tara's fingers tore through the soft leather of the chair she was gripping for dear life.

"Are we back to this?" Thrett stalked around his desk, his jaws bulging as he clenched his teeth. "Is this your way of getting back at me for putting a stop to your frivolous relationship with Dhaynger?"

"NO!" Tara flinched as the sound of her raised voice was punctuated by the splintering of wood beneath her fingertips. "This is me trying to deal with the backlash of your stupid rules," she said much quieter, shaking out her cramping hands. "And if you love me at all; you'll let me have my space, or I swear to the Virgin I will move in with aunt Dar and you won't see me again."

Tara blinked back her angry tears and stormed out of the office.

"Tehrrify," Thrett said from the doorway, his calm voice halting her steps. "Show up for your shifts on time, report in once a week, and keep your phone on."

Tara breathed a sigh of relief and after a few more seconds of silence, she turned around to thank him, but the door was already shut. _You always have to get the last word don't you?_ Tara rolled her eyes and headed down the hall toward her room. She really hoped that Tru was being serious when he offered to let her stay at his place the night before, because after a fight like that, there was no way she could stay at the mansion. At least not without completely losing face with her sire, and anyone within earshot of their yelling. _Well, this should be interesting_ , she thought, and a shiver of anticipation ran down her spine.

Mel stared out the dark-tinted windows of the black sports car Dhayn was driving entirely too fast. The barren trees and brown fields of grass whipped by them in a blur. Her mind was still spinning over the fallout of her and Dhayn's night at the movies. She felt another quiver of unease settle in her belly. How had she been so stupid? They had been so careful, and in one night she had ruined everything.

"What are you thinking over there?" Dhayn asked, breaking the awkward silence that had been lingering since they left the mansion.

"Why didn't we hear her?" Mel asked.

"I'm pretty sure I was thoroughly distracted, I'm not sure about you?" He smiled and the lights from the dashboard lit up his scruffy face to an eerie shade of red. He had been so concerned about Tara that he had forgotten to shave.

"This isn't funny D, if we had heard her maybe we could have…I don't know, stopped? Talked to her, or I don't know…I just don't know." Mel leaned her forehead against the cool glass, thankful that they had decided to meet Ty at the rendezvous point instead of carpooling in his Hummer.

"We will get to talk to her, and I'm sure we are going to be able to work all of this out. It's going to be fine, you'll see." He reached for her hand and she let him take it, relishing in the feel of his warm fingers stroking gently over hers.

"I really hope you're right."

"I always am," Dhayn said, and then he laughed at her responding look. The lighthearted sound brought a smile to Mel's face.

"There's my girl," he said, brushing a fingertip along her cheekbone.

A beeping sound radiated over the stereo system that Mel hadn't even realized was on. Dhayn pushed a button on the steering wheel and Tyrahnt's face appeared on the dashboard display.

"Where are you guys?" he asked.

"On our way," Dhayn replied. "We should be there in about a minute."

"Did you decide to sneak in a…" Ty's words were cut off as Dhayn punched the button to end the call.

Less than a minute later Dhayn pulled his car to a stop in a crowded parking lot next to the big black Hummer. Mel pressed her palm to the door panel and it hissed as it slid up and out of her way. She stepped out onto the wet pavement, her steel-toed boots splashing bits of murky water up onto her dark-washed jeans. She glared down at the puddle and moved out of the way as the door clicked closed behind her.

"When did you get a sweet ass ride like this?" Ty asked from her right, walking slowly around Dhayn's car with a jealous glint in his eye.

"An early birthday gift," Dhayn replied with a barely contained smile.

"From who?" Ty asked, looking up from the front of the sleek black hood.

"Myself," Dhayn said, grinning in earnest now.

"Bastard," Ty walked quickly around to stand at Mel's side.

"Orphan actually," Dhayn quipped. "And I had to start spending my inheritance someday."

"Boys and their toys," Mel said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, speaking of toys," Ty left her side and pulled open the back of his Hummer. "I made you something Mel."

Mel had to swallow back a nervous laugh. Was he really doing this in front of Dhayn? Did he have a death wish? As it was, Dhayn let out a low growl and was standing with his chest pressed firmly against her back within seconds.

"Relax. I meant these." Ty pulled out a small chrome briefcase, popping it open to reveal a set of wickedly curved blades attached to what looked like brass knuckles. The weapons were set in grey foam to keep them in place.

"What are they?" Mel asked, Dhayn still a tense presence behind her.

"Katars...they're punching blades," Ty explained. He held the case open for her and Mel reached out and grasped the cool metal handles.

"Like this?" Mel asked. She formed two fists, grasping onto the slowly warming steel that seemed to fit her palms perfectly. The blades were around six inches long, curving out past her hands like wicked little scythes extending from her knuckles.

"You might have trouble firing a gun while wearing those, but it seemed like you preferred to use your hands," Ty said, closing the briefcase and handing it over to Mel.

"Thanks Ty, these are perfect." Mel threw some punches into the air and Ty stepped back. Mel smiled in satisfaction. The blades were lightweight and perfect for her style of fighting. She turned them back and forth to watch the streetlights glint off of the razor sharp edge.

"If I didn't know better, I would think you were coming on to my female," Dhayn growled out from behind her.

Mel whirled on him and almost punched his arm in mock-defense, but remembered at the last second that she was still wearing her new katars and pulled back. Dhayn flinched away with a look of shock that he quickly masked.

"Didn't mean to offend Dhaynger. Sorry man." Ty lifted his hands in a show of surrender. "I've got something in the works for you too."

"What is it," Dhayn asked, his irritation melting away instantly. Mel rolled her eyes and stepped farther away from them to practice a few more moves with her new toys.

She pictured the ugly pale faces of the Lessers they were there to exterminate. She threw a swift punch with her right, followed by an uppercut with her left – her dominant hand. The blades sliced through the air with a high pitched whisper of steel cutting through the crisp night air. The telltale sound of a gun being cocked grabbed her attention, and Mel turned to the sound, crouching in anticipation of a fight. Dhayn held out a simple-looking handgun and smiled at her stance.

"I guess we're ready to go. What's the plan Ty?" Dhayn shoved the gun in the waistband of his jeans and turned to the other male.

"The Lessers have been recruiting at this bar," Ty explained, sliding his own gun into place at the small of his back. "Apparently it's been a hotspot for ex-military and the like. A civilian called it in."

"Are we taking heads or prisoners," Mel asked, really hoping for the former.

"Prisoners," Ty said with a stern look. "We still haven't gotten any of them to talk about the disappearances, and the King wants answers."

"Are we going to be allowed in on the interrogations this time?" Dhayn asked, and Mel waited eagerly for his answer. She wanted a shot at getting one of the fuckers to squeal. _Pent up anger, who me?_

"Probably not." Ty shrugged at their matching scowls. "Hey, I don't make the rules. Bring it up with the Commander."

He shut the back of the Hummer and gestured to the run-down bar across the packed parking lot. "I'm going in the front and you two wait at the back entrance. I'll heard them right to you."

Mel clenched her fists, checking her grip on the katars. She nodded her understanding and took off on a sprint toward the back of the dingy building before he could give her any more restrictions. She stayed low, so that the parked cars kept her out of view. She could hear Dhayn's heavy footsteps falling into place behind her and smiled at his attempt to keep up. If she was trying to lose him she could, but as it was she slowed down and pressed her back against the old brick building.

"Ready to kick some ass?" Mel smiled at Dhayn and gestured for him to take the lead.

He smiled a her, lifted his pistol and stepped around the corner, freezing in place so that Mel ran into his solid back with a startled thud. She just flattened her hands in time to keep herself from accidentally stabbing him. These things are going to take some getting used to, Mel thought as she peered around him and saw what had stopped him.

Four Lessers stood around an old beat-up sedan, parked in front of the back entrance in the wide alley running parallel to the bar. They seemed to be arguing about something, their voices were muffled by the distance, but thankfully whatever it was they were fighting about had kept them from noticing Dhayn and Mel's arrival.

Mel nudged Dhayn and nodded toward the Lessers. It was as good a time as any. When he failed to move into action, Mel's impatience got the better of her. Bursting into an all out run, she bore down on the unsuspecting bastards before they knew what hit them.

She sliced the throat of the first man she reached, his oily black blood squirting out to form a puddle on the ground where he fell. She ducked a punch from a second Lesser but couldn't avoid another's kick to her side. She lost her balance but quickly regained herself and came up swinging, her bladed fists shredding the chest of a Lesser stupid enough to come within reach.

She landed a kick to his shoulder and smiled at the satisfying crack as it dislocated. Switching her balance to her other leg she let him come at her and drove her palm up, breaking his nose in one swift move. He quickly threw his hand up to try to stem the oily black blood pouring from his nose. Another roundhouse kick to the side of his head, and he crumbled to the disgusting alley floor.

Mel looked over the roof of the car to see Dhayn disarm the last of the standing Lessers and use his own gun to shoot out both of the fucker's legs. The startling scream he let out was silenced by Dhayn's fist to his jaw. Mel leaned against the hood of the car and smiled at her partner. He looked so fierce all covered in sweat and grime, and his multihued eyes glowed in the dark alley as he stared back at her.

A loud series of pops broke into their heated moment and Mel's back was suddenly on fire with excruciating pain. She crumpled to her knees and they struck the concrete with a jarring blow. As she sunk to the ground she caught a glimpse of the Lesser with the slashed throat, an oily black smile on his lips and a gun in his hands.

She heard Dhayn's responding roar and more shots fired, but she couldn't keep her eyes open. Everything hurt, she couldn't move, and all she could smell was the sickly sweet stench of Lesser blood mixing with her own.

"Stay with me Mel," Dhayn said, lifting the barely conscious female up into his arms and running as fast as his legs would carry him to the parking lot.

He told his car to open and the doors opened up like steel wings on a black angel. He slid her into the passenger seat and reclined it back as far as it would go. He carefully removed her punching swords from her clenched fist and used one to slice open his own wrist. He held it to her mouth and lifted her head with his other hand to make sure she didn't choke. His heart beat like a stampede of horses as he waited for her to respond, and then she swallowed. Her lips pressed a little firmer to his skin and he felt her fangs pressing into the skin on either side of his wound. Sighing in temporary relief, he pulled out his phone and called Ty.

"Come out to the car now!" he shouted.

"What's going on?" Ty asked, but Dhayn could see that he was already on the move.

"Mel's been shot," Dhayn said, and then he hung up and pulled his wrist free from her mouth. Her eyes fluttered open and she made a mewling sound but she quickly lost consciousness again.

Ty appeared beside him, his brow creased with worry. He tried to get close to Mel but Dhayn shoved him out of the way and shut the door.

"I have to get her to the doc, she's healing with the bullets still inside," Dhayn said, running around the car to the driver's side. "There are four unconscious Lessers around back, can you handle them?"

"Yeah, get her out of here, you can explain later," Ty said stepping back to give them room.

Dhayn turned the car on and reversed out of the parking spot with a squeal of tires and a burst of speed as he shifted into drive and wove through the cars to get to the road. He turned on the NAV system to guide them, and pushed his new car to its limits, driving down the winding roads at breakneck speeds. He only took his eyes off of the road to make sure Mel was still breathing. His fists clenched the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. The trees and houses blurred by and in half the time it had taken them to get to the bar he was screeching to a halt in front of the brownstone that their kind used as a cover for one of their underground medical facilities.

He punched down his window and scanned his palm on the inconspicuous security box that was mounted on a pole along side the small driveway. After a moment's pause, the garage door slid open and Dhayn quickly entered the safety of the underground garage.

Once inside the concrete tunnel, Dhayn stopped in front of the well lit doors where a group of medics were waiting to access the situation.

"She's been shot three times in her back. I gave her some blood but she can't seem to regain consciousness," Dhayn explained and the team converged on the car.

They extracted her from his passenger seat and laid her out on a gurney. There were three females and two males, all dressed in hospital greens and within seconds they were wheeling her away, and Dhayn jogged to keep up. One of the males pulled away from the pack as they pushed her into a brightly lit white room, stopping Dhayn at the doorway.

"You can't be in here," he said, applying just enough pressure on Dhayn's shoulder to show his intent. "There is nothing more you can do at this point, and we will tell you immediately if she needs more blood."

"I can't just..."

"Yes, you can," the male interrupted. "You will help her more by giving us the room we need to do our job."

Dhayn allowed the male to push him backward and close the door in his stunned face. The small rectangular window set into the door was not nearly big enough for him to see what they were doing. His palm itched with the need to grasp the handle and throw the door open, but hadn't he caused enough damage for one night?

His hesitation was the only reason she had run into a gun fight with only blades to protect her, and not even black daggers at that! Why had he paused? Why didn't he check to make sure that all of those fuckers were disabled before letting his guard down?

_My fault. If she dies it's my fault._


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

****

 

Tara pulled up to Tru's building and shut off her bike, kicking out the stand as she dismounted. He had assured her that it was cool with him if she wanted to crash at his place for a little while until she resolved things with her sire, or found her own apartment. She pressed the button above her ear on her helmet and it retracted from her face and neck with a series of soft clicks.

 

A few humans walked to and from one of the four identical buildings at the intersection 3rd and Main, braving the early spring chill to save cab fare. She was otherwise alone on the stretch of pavement.

 

She looked up at his tall glass building, and tried to picture herself living in a place like that. There was no arguing how beautiful the lofts and suits were, but was she really a glass and steel kind of girl? Looking down at her black leather pants and jacket, she had to admit that she looked the part. The hard part was going to be living alone. Tara held back a flinch as her loneliness and hurt bombarded her from the inside.

 

She watched a couple run out of the building across the street, and frantically wave down a taxi as it slowed to let them in. The man open the door for the woman and she gave him a shy smile before ducking into the rear of the car. Tara reached out with her senses and touched on the barrier of their minds. They were filled with happiness and excitement, and the man was hesitantly allowing himself to feel the first glimmers of love. Had Dhayn looked at her that way?

 

Tara slammed her shields back up and cracked her neck to relieve some of the built up tension threatening to give her a headache. Her heart squeezed in her chest and she pressed a fisted hand into her abdomen as pangs of loss seized her gut. She didn’t know how to leave them, but she knew that is what she had to do. Dhayn and Mel wouldn’t move on until she did, and if she really loved them, she would do it, for them. Her throat grew thick as tears threatened her eyes. If only she could block out her own emotions. She furrowed her brows and clenched her jaw as she added pressure to her mental shields. 

 

Her pain dampened to a subtle background noise, still present, but bearable. She breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the tall building again. She needed a distraction, a way to move on; but would Tru give that to her. She felt her guilt threaten to swim up to the surface at the thought of using him that way, but she shoved it down resolutely. She pictured herself with Tru, she would be happy with him. He made her laugh, he looked at her like she was a priceless piece of art, and he took her seriously as a Warrior. She tried to imagine bringing him back to the mansion, that would definitely have to wait. She noticed that, with her guilt and loss securely kept at bay, she _could_ see it, and for the first time it didn’t scare her.

 

A black sedan pulled up behind her in the nearly empty street pulling her out of her fantasies. Henry, the doggen driving the car, stepped out from behind the wheel and rushed to the rear of the vehicle to pop open the spacious trunk. Tara hurried to help the male with her suitcases, but at his startled look she decided to graciously accept his help. 

 

She couldn't have brought all her stuff on her bike, that was for sure, and she was grateful that he hadn't asked any questions. The little bald male only came up to her chin, but his shirt and tails gave him an air of stature beyond his small frame. He was one of the oldest doggen she had ever met, and although he was stanch and proper, she had glimpsed his gentle heart over the years, and he was very dear to her for the kindness he had shown her growing up in the mansion. 

 

The doorman was expecting them, and ushered Tara and Henry through the black and white checkered lobby to a service elevator that was slightly larger than the main ones she had used before. They needed the room with Henry trying to carry all four of her bags at once. The scene reflected itself back at Tara infinitely in the mirrored space and she hid her smile at how ridiculous the little bald male looked overloaded as he was with purple leather suitcases. They rode up to Tru's floor in silence, and exited to a brightly lit gold and beige hallway. The carpet was plush and soft beneath Tara's feet, and the subtly patterned walls and beautifully crafted sconces added to the luxurious feel. _So it's not all glass and steel_ , she thought to herself. She had forgotten how beautiful the hallways were. Although, granted she was quite loaded the last time she saw them.

 

Tru answered his door moments later, wearing a V-neck sweater and fitted jeans. Tara probably shouldn't have noticed the sizable bulge hanging to the left of his fly, or how it began to grow unexplainably bigger as she stared. She forced herself to swallow as her mouth ran dry and turned her attention to keeping her mental shields in place. She could feel a prickling sensation as her nervousness bounced around in her head.

 

After thanking Henry, and forcing him to relinquish the still-packed bags, Tara reluctantly used her phone to unlock her bike so that he could move it into the underground parking. It was worth letting someone else ride her black stallion if it meant skipping the awkward where should I put my clothes moment. Tara was fine to live out of her suitcases for the couple of days she would be there.

 

Her bags were piled at the end of Tru's massive California King size bed. The silver bedspread caught her eye.

 

"This is new," Tara said, running a hand along the top of the bed. The material was a light suede that felt as soft as whipped cream below her fingertips. The subtle geometric design stitched into the surface was tastefully done and seemed to match Tru’s style perfectly.

 

"It was a gift," Tru said. He was across the loft in the kitchen area, pouring something into two small tumblers.

 

"From who?" Curious as to who would be giving Tru gifts. Had one of his flings become more than casual? Was she intruding on his relationship by being there? And why did she have that odd clawing feeling in her gut?

 

"Jealous?" Tru put a name to it with an evil grin. His freshly shaven face showed a dimple in his right cheek.

 

"No," she lied. She had no right to be jealous - and what would it mean if she was?

 

"Relax Princess, it was from my mahmen. Kaelyn gave it to me when I went over there yesterday. Speaking of which, her and Dehryn are really excited to meet you." His eyes danced with a glimmer of gold in the chocolate brown depths. 

 

Tara started to feel her jittering nerves again and accepted the drink he offered readily. She downed it in one gulp, the whiskey burning a trail of heat down her throat. She fought back a cough and handed the empty glass back to Tru. He laughed and sipped his own, setting her glass on a nearby end table.

 

"We don't have to go you know?" He reached out as if to take her hand, but stopped halfway and dropped his arm to his side. Tara stared at his empty hand, and then at his tortured expression. She couldn't help it, she had to know what was going on inside that golden head of his.

 

She concentrated carefully and slowly lifted her shields, ready to slam them back in place if she needed to. Her curiosity seemed to overpower her previous turmoil and allowed her to concentrate. She reached out and prodded at where Tru's emotions should have been, but she got a whole lot of nothing.

 

"Don't think I don't know exactly what you're doing Princess," Tru said with a smirk. "And you won't be getting in my head without a fight." He sat down on the back of the leather couch and raised a brow at her in challenge.

 

"I could if I wanted to," Tara gloated, feeling childish as the words left her mouth.

 

"Ah, and I could have you, _if I wanted to_ ," he mocked. 

 

Tara stepped up into his space and leaned into his hard unyielding body. She felt his muscles bunch and flex beneath the pressure of her weight, trying to keep from falling over the back of the couch.

 

"Let's get one thing straight," Tara whispered into his ear. "If we have sex..."

 

"When," Tru interrupted.

 

_"If,_ we have sex, it will be because _I_ want it." Tara finished, flicking her tongue out to tease along the rim of his ear. The heat between them was stirring to life again, and Tara knew she was playing with fire, but hadn't she wanted this?

 

"Exactly," Tru said, his voice husky with need. _"When."_ He used his free hand to pull her hips in tighter to his body, where she felt the hard length of his erection pulsing between them.

 

Tara pulled her face back in shock, her mouth dropping open on a small gasp. Then he kissed her. His lips crashed into hers, soft but relentless as he devoured her mouth with a passion and intensity that she couldn't help but respond to. All thought fled as she simply _felt_. She moved her lips in sync with his and parted them when his tongue prodded for entrance. She moaned into his kiss as he entered her mouth and lead her in a dance of building pleasure.

 

Her body was engulfed in wave after wave of burning passion as she gave herself over to the feel of him. His strong arms enveloping her, his body pressing impossibly closer. Tara's core was swollen and weeping by the time he pulled away, staring at her with a fever in his eyes. His lips were red and swollen and she licked her own as she stared at them.

 

"What are you thinking?" Tru asked, surprising her.

 

"That I want to do that again," Tara replied simply, and she felt a new rush of blood fill her cheeks.

 

"And?" he pressed.

 

"And this time don't stop until I tell you to," she teased. Tara wet her lips again and waited for him to bend his head to hers. His expression looked almost relieved as he brought his hand up to cup her face.

 

"What if I don't want to stop?"

 

"Too bad, I make the rules."

 

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said with a bigger grin. He lifted his forgotten glass to his lips and finished his whiskey. Tara was surprised he had held on to it. He placed the empty glass on the end table next to hers and rested both his hands on her hips.

 

Tara stared into his gold flecked eyes and felt the remainder of her shields fall away. It was strangely euphoric, the weightlessness that came with a free mind. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes to revel in the feeling. She felt her fear and nerves stirring, but as Tru caressed her body gently with his big warm hands, she was awash with longing and everything else ceased to matter.

 

"If I let go right now, there will be no stopping Princess," Tru said with a serious note to his voice. Tara opened her eyes again, and watched as indecision passed over his features.

 

"If I say stop, I know you'll stop, and if you don't, I'll make you."

 

"You won't want to, no one ever does." He wasn't being cocky, she could see the truth of his words in the almost worried look in his eyes. So he wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge his power, but some part of him knew it was true.

 

Tara reached up between them and grasped the tab of her zipper, slowly parting her leather jacket until she could shrug it off onto the floor. She had been right about one thing last night, she needed this, and now she knew he needed it too. They may have had different reasons, so what? She grabbed the hem of her burgundy T and lifted it up and over her head. The air on her skin felt electric and as Tru stared at her red lace covered breasts she nearly screamed out to be touched.

 

"Sweet Virgin, you're beautiful," he whispered, awe in his voice. 

 

Tara's heart beat faster and faster as he slowly lowered his head and sucked one hard nipple into his mouth. She screamed out in pleasure and pressed forward, begging for more. Her mind was a delicious blur of pleasure and wanting, and all she could think about was the hard length rocking slowly into her thigh. She reached for his fly, needing to see him, needing to _feel_ him deep inside. Her finger hooked behind the first button and it slid free. He shuddered against her breast and kissed a trail to its mate. She popped the next button, and the next. Just as the final one came free, a buzzing started in his pocket, followed by the musical tones of his phone.

 

Tru groaned and fished impatiently in his pocket. The action pulled down his pants slightly, and Tara was pleased to see he had nothing on under them. He yanked out the offending device and was just about to throw it across the room, when Tara saw the display. Her heart sank.

 

"It's your sister," she said, laying a hand over his to stop him.

 

"Dammit," he groaned. "I don't have to answer this, she can leave a message."

 

"Weren't we supposed to be there ten minutes ago?" Tara was shocked by the time on the display. Tru visibly fought back his sexual frustration and connected the call.

 

"Hey, sorry sis...no, we're still coming...no, I wouldn't just bail on you...okay, thanks for the reminder, see you soon." He ended the call and threw back his head on a dramatic sigh.

 

"We could just..." Tara started, running a hand down his six-pack and teasing along his open waistline.

 

"No." he cut her off, picking her up by the waist and setting her down on her feet in front of him. "I plan on taking my time with you Princess. Now let's go get this over with so we can finish what we started."

 

"Hey, this was your idea," Tara teased.

 

"And I am a fool. Now go get dressed before I devour you."

 

Tara's eyes went wide at the promising threat of his words, but quickly obeyed. She changed into a cobalt blue silk shirt and a black skirt that fell just above her knees. The slit in the back gave her plenty of movement in her silver stilettos. She smiled at Tru's reaction to her outfit and did a slow turn to tease him further. 

 

Her mood was light as they went down to his pickup and drove out to his sister's ranch, but as she stepped out onto the gravel of their long driveway, her first thought was, _Mel would love this place_. Her throat felt thick and guilt settled like lead in her stomach. _Dear Virgin in the Fade, help me get through this night._

__

_........._

__

__

Tru walked around the front of his truck, leading Tara by the hand. For the thousandth time, he wished that he was the one with her abilities. Her face flitted between countless emotions and settled on a smile he knew was fake.

 

Was she regretting what they had done, what they were doing? Virgin, what was he thinking? She had just broken up with her lovers and he was already all over her. But, hadn’t that been exactly what she had asked for? Hadn’t she been drifting apart from them for months? Tru tried his best to keep his own thoughts to himself, the last thing he needed was for her to read any doubt in him - not if he was going to win her over.

 

“Are you ready?” he asked as they paused in front of the classic wooden door of Kaelyn and Dehryn’s ranch-style house. 

 

“Of course I am,” she said, reaching out and grasping his hand. Her eyes gave away her uncertainty, but he was happy that she had initiated contact between them for the second time that night, so he didn’t question her further.

 

Tru knocked on the solid door and it swung open seconds later. His sister stood in doorway, backlit by the warm glow of candles burning behind her. She wore a flirty flower-print dress and Tru still found it odd that her stomach was gone, the fabric fell flat over her abdomen. Her blonde curls were pulled back from her face, which lit up when she noticed their linked hands.

 

“Hi guys! You must be Tara? Come on in!” Kaelyn said, far to brightly. Tru shot her a warning look as they stepped over the threshold.

 

“Hi sis,” Tru leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Tara this is Kaelyn.” Tara smiled at his sister and inclined her head politely. 

 

It turned out that Tara was still a product of the glymera, no matter how much of a Warrior she was; she behaved differently than he had ever seen her. She was excessively polite and gracious. She stood with her back straight, and sat at the dinner table with her shoulders back. She even laughed differently - the girlish giggle had him raising his brows. After dinner, and quite a few glasses of wine, she started to revert to her usual, easy-going self.

 

“So you’re a fighter like Tru?” Dehryn asked rocking Rylan gently in his arms as she fought off sleep. 

 

“Yes,” Tara said, her eyes fixed on the tiny form of the youngling.

 

“If you don’t mind me asking, why?”

 

“My sire is a Brother, and his father was, and his father before him. For generations my family has fought to protect our race. Why should I be any different just because I have breasts?” Her eyes grew wide as saucers as she realized what she had said, and she promptly put her glass of wine down on the table in front of her.

 

“Amen, Sister,” Kaelyn said with a raise of her own glass. “With the males serving as Chosen without shame, and females taking up their Daggers in our war our society is finally starting to change.”

 

“Not completely, but every little step counts,” Tara said with a nod.

 

Tru smiled at her, betting his pride showed on his face. He was proud to be her partner, she could hold her own better than half the males he knew. He reached out and wove his fingers through her, their hands resting on his knee.

 

They had arrived for midnight meal decided to leave when it was time for Rylan’s feeding a couple of hours later. Tru gave his thanks to his sister and Tara promised to come back and visit sometime soon. Overall it went better than he had hoped. 

 

He opened the passenger door for her and helped her into the seat. As she swung her legs in, one at a time, her skirt rode up her toned thighs. Tru reached out without thinking and ran his hand up one leg. He stopped himself when he reached the hem of her skirt but it took every bit of willpower he had to pull back from her.

 

He couldn’t meet her eyes, not wanting to see her fear or revulsion. Clenching his teeth, he stepped back and closed her door, making his was swiftly around the front of the truck. He avoided her gaze as he backed out of the driveway and started back toward town.

 

“Pull over,” Tara said suddenly.

 

Tru acted instantly, slamming his breaks and swerving to the side of the road. Tru scanned the area for a threat. They were on a long stretch of two-lane highway surrounded on both sides by ancient evergreens. Finding nothing outside he looked to Tara to find out what was wrong. She unfastened her seatbelt and turned in her seat to face him head on.

 

“Why did you stop?” she asked.

 

“Because you asked me to,” Tru answered, confused. 

 

“Not the truck, why did you stop touching me back there? You never stop, I always have to stop _you_.”

 

“I didn’t want...” Tru unlatched his own belt and turned to her. “I didn’t want to fuck this up.” He swallowed back the lump forming in his throat. “I have wanted this for so long. I’ve dreamed of the day you would finally leave them and...” he stopped, not wanting to bring Dhayn into it. He wasn’t sure how to act, or how not to act. 

 

“What do you want Tara?” he asked, reaching out and clasping her hand in his. She stared at him in silence for what felt like an hour before speaking.

 

“This.”

 

She moved toward him and reached up with her free had to grip the back of his neck, tugging him forward until his lips met hers. His confusion was drowned out by lust as she climbed on top of his lap, her skirt piling at her waist to reveal her lacy red panties. Tru felt the flash-burn of lust seconds before it rushed out of him and into her. She moaned into his mouth and pressed impossibly closer. 

 

“You’re sure?” Tru asked against her lips.

 

“Mmmhmm,” she mumbled.

 

Tru wound his arms around her and slipped his hands up under the back of her silk shirt. The heat of her core pressing down on his erection had him gripping her tighter. He couldn’t get close enough, he needed more. Her hands twisted in his hair, holding his lips captive to hers. He reached between them and popped the buttons of his fly, preparing to pull himself free, when a telltale sound began to ring out from her purse on the floorboard.

 

“Don’t answer it,” he begged, gripping her tight ass to keep her pressed against him.

 

“I have to; that’s Thrett’s ringtone,” she said, defeated.

 

She reached down and fished her phone out of her purse. She carefully positioned herself so that tru wouldn’t be onscreen and accepted the call.

 

“Tehrrify, Mehlisha has been shot.” Thrett’s voice sounded over the speaker. Tara’s face paled and her eyes widened in horror. “She is at the west-end clinic. I thought you should know.”

 

“Thank you sir, I’m headed there now,” Tara said, and then she hung up.

 

“Take me there now...please.” Tears were brimming over her eyes as Tru nodded and slid her from his lap.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

****

Dhayn looked up from his seat beside Mel in the dimly lit recovery room. She had finally fallen asleep but he couldn't make himself leave her side. He had been so scared that he was going to lose her, had nearly went insane as he paced the hallway in front of where they operated on her. The doctor had removed all four bullets and was able to stop the internal bleeding long enough for her body to start the healing process.

When a nurse had come out to ask him if he would be willing to let Mel feed from him, he nearly burst through the small metal door that separated them. After taking a fair amount of his blood the color returned to her cheeks and she was able to stay conscious enough to make fun of him for being so worried.

He watched her face as she slept. Her thick lashes fluttered slightly as her eyes moved behind her closed lids. She must have been dreaming. Her forehead creased in concern and her delicate little lips pursed into a frown. He slid his hand out from under hers, and gently pushed her hair back from her face, whispering calming words to set her sleeping mind at ease. The way she immediately calmed filled him with a sense of pride that stirred up a pleasant warmth in his belly. He had helped save her, which almost made up for his hesitation earlier in the night, almost.

A young female orderly poked her head in the door and Dhayn turned to see what she needed. Mel didn't need any more medical attention, just rest. He nodded for her to speak.

"Sorry to disturb you," she whispered. "There is a female here demanding to see Mehlisha, what would you like me to tell her?"

_A female?_ Dhayn puzzled. Cynthia and Krush had already left. Who would... Dhayn's eyes widened in shock. Tara! How had he forgotten about Tara? He got up quietly from his chair and rushed out the door startling the orderly.

"She's...family," he said in explanation, once in the hallway.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know." The small female blushed a rose-petal pink and clutched her clipboard to her chest.

"Don't worry about it. Where is she?" Dhayn asked impatiently.

"Just down this way." She lead the way down the brightly lit hallway and turned into the small waiting room they had tried to get Dhayn to stay in earlier. Tara was pacing with her back to him, but she turned as he entered. Her cheeks were streaked with remnants of the mascara she had been wearing and her eyes were red and puffy. Dhayn's heart gave a painful squeeze. He hurried over to her and pulled her into his arms.

"It's okay, she's okay," he assured her. "We got here in time and the doc fixed her up good as new. She's sleeping like a youngling." He pulled back from her to catch her eyes. They were still swimming with fear and pain.

"I am so sorry that I didn't call you. I didn't want to leave her side." He kissed the top of her head and took a deep breath. The scent that wafted up from her hair was not what he was used to. She still smelled like lavender and vanilla, but there was something else, something _male._ Dhayn stepped away from her slowly and shoved his hands in his pockets to stop them from shaking.

"Dhayn? What is it?" Tara asked, a quiver in her voice.

"Where's Intrudehr?" he asked, grinding his teeth. He would kill him. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

"He went to get me a coffee, why? What's wrong?" She crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive posture.

"Why do you smell like him?" Dhayn blurted out, his nerves to shot to beat around the bush.

"Because I have been with him the whole night." Tara looked confused

"With him, or _with_ him Tara?" he asked, not really wanting to hear the answer, but needing to regardless.

"No. I wasn't _with_ him," she said, but she couldn't meet his eyes.

"So that's it? You're giving up on us?" he pressed. "Is it because of what you saw in the theater? 'Cause that was the only time Tara, I swear. Mel and I have been waiting for you."

Dhayn's heart began to race as the reality of what might be happening started to sink in. He hadn't really believed she would leave them, the fears Mel had had seemed ridiculous. The look in Tara's eyes - a mixture of sadness and resolution - showed him just how wrong he had been. He wanted to take his words back, to pretend that this conversation wasn't happening.

"It's not because of that," she said, her face falling.

"Then what is it?" Dhayn asked. "We can figure it out, we belong together."

"No Dhayn, we don't," Tara said. She focused her swimming sapphire gaze on his and his chest tightened in fear.

_This can't be happening._ He began to panic. He had to stop this before things went beyond his control. He couldn't lose her. He was going to kill Intrudehr.

"No, you will not," Tara said, fear taking over her features. "Dhaynger I swear to the Virgin if you hurt him..."

"Why? Please just tell me why." Dhayn felt his panic rising, jumbling his thoughts.

"I don't want to be with you and Mel anymore."

"I don't buy that!" he yelled.

"Well, it's true!"

She clenched her hands into fists at her sides. She seemed to be at a loss for words, further proving his belief that she didn't really mean what she was saying. If only he could figure out what it was that was upsetting her, then maybe he could prove to her that she still loved him, still loved _them._

"Look, I already moved out of the mansion...so it will be easier for you two." She said, squaring her shoulders.

"What?" Dhayn charged forward and grabbed on to her shoulders. "When did this happen, where will you go?" A cold trickle of dread slithered down his back, making him shudder.

"I moved my stuff into Tru's loft this evening." Tara stepped out from under his hands. "I'm sorry Dhayn, I will always love you but..."

"But your fucking someone else now?" Dhayn snapped. He shook his head and stared at the white linoleum floor.

His emotions jumped all over the place; from anger to desperation. He looked up at Tara, one of the two females he loved, and begged her with unspoken words not to leave him. As he met her eyes, an overwhelming calm spread over him like a blanket, and suddenly he could breathe normally again.

"I'll look in on Mel on my way out. I'm sure she needs her rest," Tara said with sadness misting her eyes.

Dhayn stayed resolutely silent as he sunk into one of the waiting room chairs. Why was he so calm? Tara stared at him and he had the overwhelming impression that everything was going to be okay.

"What room is she in?" Tara asked

"Two-twelve," he replied in a detached voice. What was happening? Shouldn't he feel upset? He looked up to get answers from Tara, but she was already gone.

After five minutes or so he suddenly realized he should probably get back to Mel. He walked back down the hall and crept into her room. She was still fast asleep and he had the undeniable urge to be closer to her. It drove him to her bedside, where he stroked her hair, her arm. His love for her bubbled up to the surface, breaking through the odd numbness. He sat down in the chair beside the bed and took her hand. Everything was going to be fine, Mel would know what to do.

...

Tara played with the lip of her empty coffee cup to distract herself from thinking. It didn't really work. Even blocking out all of Dhayn's emotions hadn't helped her break up with him. Dhayn's face had shown near-physical pain, and she was the cause of it. She had never had to do anything that painful in her entire life.

_It was the right thing to do_ , she told herself for the hundredth time. _Was it right to manipulate him?_ Another voice in her head accused. _I did what I had to do so that he can move on._

"We're here Princess," Tru said, breaking into her thoughts.

Tara unbuckled her seatbelt as Tru came around to open her door. She accepted his hand to help her down and let him keep it as they walked to the elevators. She needed the contact, it steadied her, along with the waves of happiness that bubbled up and out of him at the simple touch. She focused on Tru's positive feelings and continued to dampen her own pain and fear until she felt a trickle of anticipation form in her own mind.

They didn't talk as they travelled up in the elevator, and even once they were inside Tru's place she didn't know what to say. She was standing below a dam that held back her emotions, and she knew that if she caused even the smallest crack, she would be lost in the current, and she wasn't ready for that struggle.

"Do you want something to drink," Tru said from his walk-in closet next to the bathroom. He came out in a tight white sleeveless shirt - his muscular arms on display.

"Yes, please," Tara said. Making her way over to the kitchen area.

She pulled out one of the stools from under the bar-top and leaned with her elbows on the cool black marble. Tru sauntered over and retrieved a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses. Tara had been expecting more whiskey, but was grateful with the first sip. The sweet wine made her mouth water for more.

"Another housewarming gift from my mahmen," Tru said, drinking from his glass. "It's not bad."

Tara took a bigger sip and nodded. Why was it so hard to act normal? She was usually comfortable around Tru - well maybe not at first, but definitely after their first couple weeks as a team.

"Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?" Tru came around the counter and pulled out the stool next to her.

"Not really," she said, keeping her eyes downcast. "So the quilt and the wine are from your mahmen? How come you never talk about her?"

"I haven't actually talked to her in over two years." Tru gulped his wine and then topped up his glass. Tara nodded when he offered her more.

"Why?"

"I cut off communication with them when I left with Kaelyn."

"It wasn't a happy parting?" Tara asked, curious to hear more about his elusive family.

"You could say that. They weren't going to let her mate Dehryn, and when she said she was going to do it anyway my sire kicked her out of the house."

"And you went with her?"

"Yeah, I was tired of their manipulation and social climbing. Kicking out my sister was the last straw. So, I left. Haven't seen or talked to them since."

"Kaelyn obviously has," Tara said, a little shocked by her assumption. The alcohol was loosening her lips.

"She got back in touch with our mahmen when she found out she was pregnant. I guess they've mended things."

"But you haven't?"

"No." He shook his head and turned to look at Tara. "He's never even apologized for what he did. The bastard thinks he was justified in ostracizing his only daughter, and for what? She wouldn't marry the male he had picked out for her." Tru ran a hand through his short blond hair. "No, he doesn't deserve forgiveness."

They sat in tense silence for a minute before Tara got up the nerve for her next question.

"But what about your mahmen?" she asked gently. "If your sister has patched things up with her, and she obviously still thinks about you..."

"I've been considering it."

"And?" Tara pressed.

"And maybe she deserves a phone call." Tru sighed and poured himself another glass of wine. "Now can we have a subject change?"

Tara laughed. "Sure, how about that weather...or the um traffic?" She smiled at him and he returned it, his dimple sinking into his cheek.

Tara reached out on an impulse and touched the small impression. It began to disappear as Tru's lips parted. He turned his head slightly and pressed a gentle kiss into the palm of her hand. His lips were soft and moist as he trailed more kisses across her wrist and arm.

Tara sat, frozen in place as he continued his journey up her arm to her neck where he sucked at the hollow above her collarbone. She shivered as tingles travelled over her skin and heat stirred to life in her core.

"Do you want me to stop?" He lifted his head and met her eyes.

"No," Tara whispered.

Tru took her hand and pulled her from the stool. There was heat burning in his golden brown eyes but she still had her defenses up so she couldn't feel it, _yet._ He turned toward the rest of the loft and started to lead her in the direction of his huge bed. Tara's heartbeat sped up with every step. She was confused when he stopped halfway, in front of the seating area to one side.

"Oh we'll get there." He nodded toward his bed. "But first we have a little unfinished business to take care of."

He released her hand and deftly lifted the coffee table from the floor and placed it out of the way, leaving a familiar soft white rug in front of them. He went to the wall and used a control panel to turn on a fire set into the wall.

"Remember the first time I brought you here?" Tru asked, taking her hand again and directing her onto the plush rug.

"Yes," she replied. The images of that night flitted through her memory and she quivered in remembered pleasure.

"No faking it this time Princess."

Tru pulled her toward him and crushed her to his muscular chest. His lips resumed their ministrations, traveling along her jaw until he captured her open mouth with his. The kiss was soft and exploring, a hesitant building of trust and anticipation. Tara felt it as the waves of lust started to roll off of Tru, but this time she didn't hesitate to drop her shield and absorb the tide of emotion.

Tru's hands found the front of her silk blouse and gently began to undo the buttons. The fabric fell away from her without notice and then his warm hands were on her lace covered breasts. She arched into the contact and fumbled for the hem of his shirt.

They had to pull apart as she lifted it over his head, but she was happy for the chance to appreciate his chiseled chest and abs. She ran her hands over the hard muscles. His skin was soft and warm. She could barely tare her eyes off of him, but she wanted more contact.

"You are so beautiful," he echoed her thoughts, running a hand down her side to rest on her hip. She felt the sincerity in his words and couldn't help but blush. He found the small zipper on the side of her skirt and undid it, sliding the black garment down her legs, and taking her lacy red panties with it.

Tara reached behind her back and released her bra. It fell to the floor with a near-silent thud. The fire had already made the room around them quite warm, but she shivered under the weight of Tru's greedy stare.

"Take them off," she demanded, gesturing to his last remaining piece of clothing.

His pants hung low on his hips, exposing a muscular V that she wanted to lick. He unfastened each button with deliberate care, slowly revealing more tantalizing skin, until at least his pants fell to the floor.

Tara gasped in shock. His cock was fully erect and it bobbed in the air under her attention. She had thought he was exaggerating. She licked her lips and squirmed a little as moisture leaked from between her legs.

"Will it fit?" she asked curiously, taking a step forward so she could reach out and take hold of the imposing shaft.

She could just barely close her fingers around it as she began to stroke from tip to base. Tru moaned and thrust up into her hand.

"Better than anything you've ever felt," he said through his teeth. She could tell he wanted to move, but he was letting her set the pace.

Tara swallowed dryly and took another step closer. Her heart beat wildly and his cock pulsed between them as she pressed her entire body up against his. The waves of heat rolling off of him had her panting in seconds. She rubbed herself up against him and ran her hands over every inch of skin.

Tru seemed to take that as his sign, pressing into her until she had no choice but to sink down onto the soft rug below their feet. She stretched out in front of the fire, with Tru kneeling over her. Her body was alight with sensation. She opened her legs in invitation and Tru hovered over her in response, keeping his weight off of her.

With his arms bent so that his face was positioned right above her, she saw nothing but his glowing, heat-filled eyes as he positioned himself at her entrance.

"Please," she whispered.

He pressed forward slowly and she was overcome with pleasure; both her own, and his as his open mind projected it. Inch by inch he slid into her sheath and she moaned as the exquisite stretch of her inner muscles radiated pleasure throughout her whole body.

She adjusted her hips to take him in deeper and he filled her completely, though at least two inches of his throbbing shaft remained unsheathed. He paused watching her face, and then he began to move. The angle of his thrusts had his cock sliding over her sensitive clit, and faster than she could have imagined, she was screaming out her release.

Tru picked up his pace as she milked him, her muscles grabbing onto his huge cock with each spasm of her orgasm. Once she came back down, he slowed his pace again and set a steady rhythm. Tara felt a new wave of passion seep into her through their connection and suddenly she was ready again, panting and reaching for another climax.

Tru brought his lips down to her right breast and drew it into his mouth. He flicked his tongue over the sensitive tip and sucked gently. Tara pressed her body up for more pressure and matched his thrusts by lifting her hips. The unbelievable pressure building between her legs had her whole body shaking. Her mind went completely blank as a second, more powerful orgasm rocked her, a fog of delirious pleasure enveloping her body and soul. She felt her fangs piercing her lower lip and the small weeping cuts sent her blood hunger into a frenzy.

...

Tru looked up abruptly at Tara's throaty growl. Looking into her burning sapphire eyes nearly had him finish right then and there. She pulled her lips back from two long, sharp fangs and he shuddered with the effort of keeping himself under control.

"If you're taking then you're giving Princess, are you ready for that?" he asked, deliberately running his tongue over his own fangs.

"Yes," she panted through clenched jaws. She had a thin layer of sweat covering her heated flesh, making her skin glow under the firelight. Tru had never seen anything so delectable in his entire life.

He slowly pulled out of her and sat back on his heels. Tara growled again and narrowed her eyes in frustration. Tru beckoned her forward and when she rose onto her knees, he spun her around and sat her down on his lap, his cock buried deep inside of her. She moaned loudly and tried to turn her head to reach his neck. He pushed her face forward gently and offered her his wrist as he positioned his mouth at her delicate throat.

She wasted no time, sinking her fangs into his flesh and drinking deep. He gently pierced her neck with his own throbbing fangs and as the first drops of her sweet blood ran over his tongue, his cock erupted inside of her.

They made love by the fire for the rest of the night, and half the day, until neither could keep their eyes open. The last thing Tru saw before drifting off to sleep was the look of peaceful calm on Tara's resting face. When he dreamed, they were together again.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm truly sorry to all of my readers for having to wait so long for this chapter. I will try my best to have the next one up in a decent amount of time! Thanks for your support!

Getting shot sucks, this much Mel knew for sure. Even with her natural ability to heal, she was stuck in the clinic for four days, under constant watch of the team of doctors and nurses on staff. It's not that she wasn't grateful to them for saving her life, she just didn't do well being cooped up.

Now all of her muscles were sore and stiff, and she could still feel phantom pains in her back when she made sudden movements. But even worse than the physical pain, was the humiliation. Mel dreaded the looks she knew she would be getting once she got home. She had proved them right, proved that she was weaker, that she wasn't ready to be a Warrior. The truth of her weakness burned her just as badly as the bullets had entering her back. 

How had she failed so badly? And how was she going to recover from this? Her mahmen already opposed her choice to join the training program, what would she do now that her worst fears were realized? Mel swallowed back the sick feeling churning in her gut. 

"Are you okay over there? You look like you're going to be sick," Dhayn said from the driver's seat of his now-clean car. 

Mel wasn't sure who had done the cleanup on his leather interior, but whoever it was deserved a medal. No one would ever have known that she nearly bled out in that very seat. She tried to pull herself together, to at least appear strong.

"Do you think I'll get demoted back to stage one?" she asked, remembering all the long nights she spent doing drills in the gym with the other WITs. "Or will they kick me out completely?" She stared down at her lap to avoid his eyes.

"Why the fuck would they demote you?" Dhayn asked in response.

"I fucked up the mission, and nearly died." Mel looked out the window as trees rushed by in a blur. Her heart felt heavy with loss at the thought of her dreams being so easily swept away.

"You helped disable and capture a group of Lessers, and you survived a serious injury. If you ask me, I think you deserve a promotion."

Mel's head whipped around, and she furrowed her brow at a smiling Dhayn. "This isn't funny D, I'm being serious."

"So am I," he said confidently. "You have nothing to be ashamed of Mel." He reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Well, I'm glad you can take this so lightly, but one of us has to be realistic," Mel said. WITs were kicked out of the program all the time, only those who could be trusted to protect the citizens and honor the King were allowed to train with the Brotherhood.

"No, you're being pessimistic. There is nothing for you to worry about Mel, everything's going to be fine," Dhayn said, giving her hand another squeeze. If she didn't cherish the contact so much, she would have pulled her hand away. But it had been a long four days.

"Fine, whatever. I guess we'll see," she conceded. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Dhayn took an exaggerated breath. Mel knew him well enough to know that it meant he needed to talk about something uncomfortable. "Spit it out D, I know you have something to say," she prodded.

"We should probably talk about something before we get back to the mansion, while we're still alone. I'm sure the rest of the household is waiting for us." He kept his eye on the road but turned slightly to face her. Mel didn't like the look he was giving her.

"What's wrong D? You're freaking me out here." 

"It's about Tara," he started, looking out the windshield as his eyes clouded with emotion. Mel wished, not for the first time, that she had Tara's ability to know what he was thinking--feeling.

"Is she okay?" Mel asked, her heart-rate speeding up as one hundred possibilities ran through her mind in a macabre slideshow she couldn't stop. Tara hadn't been to visit her in the clinic. Mel had figured Tara and Tru were taking over her and Dhayn's shifts, but what if it was something else? Oh Virgin, what if Tara got hurt too?

"Yes...she's fine," Dhayn said, but Mel didn't miss his hesitation. 

"Then what is it?" Mel demanded.

"She broke it off...with us." He looked down at their clasped hands. "She left us for Intrudehr. She's even living at his condo downtown."

"What!?" Mel shouted, her jaw hanging slightly open in shock. "What do you mean she left? She can't just move out, her sire would never allow it." She released her hand to pull it through her hair. "She can't, she wouldn't, why would she?" Mel met Dhayn's sad eyes and her heart sank. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious babe. She moved on, and Thrett supported her decision." Dhayn's jaw bulged in anger.

"Of course he did." Mel scowled. Now that she thought of it, it made perfect sense. "He never wanted us to be with her in the first place." The commander had probably put the two of them together on purpose. Mel clenched her fists in anger. Anger was good--she could deal with anger. Later she would have to handle the heartbreaking loss she was just barely keeping at bay - hopefully in the privacy of her own room - but for now she would be angry.

"I'm so sorry Mel, I tried to talk to her, but she smelled like Intrudehr, and I got so angry I wasn't even thinking straight. I wish you could have been there, I'm sure you would have known what to say to make her stay." Dhayn's voice was thick with emotion and it made the tears Mel was holding back tumble over.

"She's sleeping with him?" Mel asked, not wanting to hear the answer. Dhayn just nodded. It felt like someone punched her in the gut. "I don't get it. The Tara I know would never..."

"Maybe she's not the Tara we knew anymore," he said softly.

"I can't believe that. There has to be a reason." Mel wiped the dampness from her cheeks with the backs of her hands. "I'm going to call her."

"Good luck, she hasn't been answering any of my calls." Dhayn looked down, rejection written clearly on his face.

"I'm not losing her D, even..." Mel swallowed back the lump in her throat. "Even if we just go back to being friends. I can't cut her out of my life. These last few months have been torture for me, like I lost my right arm and I don't know what to do without it."

"You're left handed," Dhayn quipped.

"Shut up, it's a saying." Mel chewed on her lip as her emotions swirled inside of her. "I may not be able to fix this, us, but I will get my best friend back," she said, solidifying her resolve. It was going to hurt like hell, but if letting go of her feelings for Tara meant she could keep her in her life, then she would sure as hell try.

.........

Dhayn was surprised at how well Mel took the news. He had nearly killed a male, been two seconds away from groveling on the floor, and then had a complete mental shutdown when Tara told him she was leaving them. Now he was just angry; angry at Tara for throwing what they had away, angry at Intrudehr for taking what was his, and angry at himself for not being able to stop it. 

He pulled the car to a stop in front of the mansion and left it running for one of the doggen to drive around to the garage. He helped Mel out of her seat and held onto her hand as they climbed the stone steps leading up to the front doors. They stepped inside the vestibule and waited for the inner doors to be unlocked. The subtle beep and click sounded their admission and Dhayn opened a heavy steel door to ushered Mel through.

"Oh my baby girl. I'm so happy your home," Cynthia cried, pulling Mel into a tight embrace as soon as she stepped through the door. Dhayn saw Mel flinch but she stayed in her mahmen's arms until the older female released her.

Dhayn took in the rest of the crowd. He had been right, everyone was waiting for them. The grand front foyer was crowded with Brothers and doggen, smiling and chatting as they looked over Mel in relief. Behind a black-clad and smiling Huntehr, he spotted Tara, and his heart kicked into gear. He should have known she would show up, but he had no idea how to react. What do you do when the female you love leaves you for another male? The bitter sting of rejection settled in his chest, but as she stepped forward and offered Mel a shy smile, his heart ached to pull her into his arms and never let her go.

The conflicting emotions had his head aching in confusion. How could he be so angry at her, yet still love her so much that it hurt? Mel let go of his hand to step forward and hug Tara, and the two of them looked so perfect, as if nothing had happened. Dhayn couldn't take it anymore. He ducked out of the room, hoping the greetings and well wishes would cover his absence, and closed himself into the main floor library just down the hall. He crossed the warmly lit room to the bar on the far wall, pouring himself a glass of whiskey and downing it in one gulp. The pleasant burn warmed him from the inside, but he knew it would take a few more to numb the pain. The door clicked behind him and he turned to find his uncle shutting it gently. 

"You might want to take it easy Dhaynger, you're on duty tonight," Stehlth said.

"I am?" Dhayn asked, surprised.

"Yes, you will be part of a search party." Stelth came to stand beside Dhayn and poured himself a glass. He added some ice cubes and sipped at the golden liquid.

"What are we searching for?" Dhayn set his glass on the bar-top and focused on his uncle. The adrenalin of the hunt would work just as well to keep his mind off of Tara.

"Someone else has gone missing, this time it's a female," Stelth said somberly.

"Do I know her?" Dhayn sat down in a leather reading chair, bracing his elbows on his knees. 

"Probably, her name is Lucinda. She's the daughter of one of the chairmen, and a prominent socialite within the glymera. Her abduction is sure to stir up trouble if we don't find her quickly and quietly." Stelth drained the rest of his whiskey and poured another glass. 

Dhayn could picture the wealthy female immediately; her blonde curls swept up with jewels and ribbons, her gowns always flamboyant and overtly expensive. "I do know her, she's not much older than I am, maybe ten years or so. But if she's not a Warrior, than this is someone new that we're dealing with right?"

"It seems so. She was taken while out partying with some friends, the scents were so muddled in the club that no one could get a read on who took her, but one thing's for sure; it wasn't Lessers."

"What?" Dhayn stood suddenly, knocking the chair back. "A human took her?"

"Either that or one of our own, we can't rule out anything." Stelth looked grim as he said the words, and they seemed to sink like lead in Dhayn's gut.

"Okay, what's the plan?" Dhayn asked, ready to move into action. "The longer we wait, the worse her chances, right?"

"Right." Stelth straightened his shoulders. "Your team is meeting up with one of the Chosen that she fed from earlier this week. We had a bit of a hard time tracking down that information, but he has agreed to help, and should be here within half an hour."

"Shit! I have to get ready," Dhayn said, turning to leave. His collared shirt wasn't exactly hunting apparel, and he would have to get his guns from the lockers in the training facility. His uncle's hand rested on his shoulder, stopping him from rushing out of the room.

"Dhaynger, there's one more thing," Stelth said seriously. Dhayn turned to face him for undoubtably more bad news. "I'm staying back with Krym to assess Mel and keep watch here, but everyone else is going out with you."

"Alright..." Dhayn failed to see the reason for the warning, though Mel would undoubtably be upset that she had to stay behind.

"I know you have had your issues with Intrudehr but we can't afford for you to be fighting with one of our own when a female's life is at stake, do you understand?"

His words slowly sunk in, and Dhayn involuntarily clenched his fists. Everyone else was going to be there. He took a moment to compose himself and then nodded his consent. So much for taking his mind off things. This was going to be an interesting night.

......

Tara paced back and forth in her old room, worrying her bottom lip as she thought about all of the horrible ways this night could go.

"Relax, princess," Tru said from on top of her bed, where he was lounging with his arms tucked behind his head on her satin covered pillows. "Dhaynger would have to be a complete moron to attack me in front of the commander."

"You didn't see his thoughts when I told him I was leaving him, he wanted to kill you Tru," Tara said, marching over to stand beside the bed. Her anxiety was giving her heartburn, but the sickening dread was worse.

"He was angry and caught up in the moment," Tru said, sitting up to run a warm hand down her cold arm.

"He's still angry," Tara insisted, staring into Tru's gold-flecked eyes and urging him to believe her. Dhayn had looked beyond pissed when he stormed out of the foyer. It had taken all of her self control for Tara not to probe his mind as he disappeared down the hall.

"I will watch my own temper, and try to stay as far away from him as I can. Does that sound okay?" Tru swung his legs off the side of the bed and pulled her to stand between his knees. He stroked her shoulders and arms in a gentle caress.

"Promise me you won't fight him?" Tara pleaded, opening herself up to feel for his honesty.

"I promise princess, no friendly fire tonight." Tru smiled one of his heart melting smiles and Tara felt the warmth of him seeping into her at every point they touched. "We have twenty minutes, and I can think of a few good ways to take your mind off of all this," he said with an twinkle in his eye.

"Tru, I don't think it would help the situation if we showed up smelling like sex." Tara pointed out. He watched her mouth as she spoke, and Tara shivered from the look in his eyes.

"Hmm, well we could always change our clothes," Tru said, moving his hands down to massage her thighs and ass. "Or we could take a shower." He leaned forward but stopped with his face an inch away from hers.

Electricity sizzled between them, as he waited for her to make the first move. Tara's mouth began to water and her lips tingled in anticipation. She wanted to behave, but that mouth was just so delectable. She closed the gap between them and held his head to hers with her hands gripping his short blonde hair. His lips were soft and moist as she devoured them, and as he slid his tongue over hers the friction nearly drove her mad with need. Tara could feel the lust and longing seeping into her from Tru as she sucked and bit at his lower lip, but a knock at the door brought her up for air.

She straightened her clothes and hair as she crossed the room and took a deep breath before opening the door. Henry stood on the other side, looking very uncomfortable in the brightly lit hallway. Tara gave him a reassuring smile and stepped into the hall.

"So sorry to disturb you miss, but your sire has called a meeting in his office," he said with a bow of his head.

"Thank you Henry, we'll be right there," Tara assured him.

The doggen bowed his head again and hurried down the hall. Tara went back into her room and found Tru putting on his shitkickers. He looked up and winked at her.

"I guess the distractions will have to wait until later." He stood and grabbed her hand on the way to the door.


	24. Chapter 24

Thrett's office was crowded with Brothers and Warriors, the constant mummer of voices creating a soft hum as they waited for the last member of their party to arrive. Krym had just left to take Mel down to the training facility and Thrett enjoyed the brief moment of peace while everyone was involved in their own conversations – he needed a breather from all of the questions, and he knew there were going to be many more tonight. He missed the days of being just another Brother, of going out on regular patrols and taking orders. He wouldn't take back his decision to accept the position as Commander – it was who he was, a leader to the core - but he did miss the simplicity of not being in charge.

The room suddenly went silent as the door to the office opened, and Henry ushered a very apprehensive male into the room. He was tall and lean, with long black hair and piercing green eyes. He wore white linen pants and long-sleeved shirt over his pale skin. There was something familiar about him, but Thrett couldn't place it. The Chosen regained his composure and squared his shoulders, looking over the room for who was in charge. Thrett stood from the chair behind his desk and motioned for him to come forward. Stealth vacated his seat and moved to stand against the wall. The male crossed the room and nodded in thanks as he sat down.

"Thank you for agreeing to help us," Thrett said earnestly.

"Anything I can do to help the Brotherhood is an honor," he replied.

Thrett could feel the male's emotions, and try as he might to appear calm on the outside, he was terrified. The Chosen led a very sheltered life and Thrett couldn't fault him for his fears, but they needed his help if they were going to find the missing female before it was too late.

"I understand that you fed Lucinda recently?" Thrett asked, getting straight to the point.

"Yes, I'm not sure when. I've been on the other side so I'm not sure how many days have gone by here," the male answered with a nervous glance around the room. His attention settled on Tehrrify - leaning against a bookcase on the opposite wall - and his shoulders relaxed.

She smiled at him and took a step forward, both Dhaynger and Intrudehr tensing where they stood. Thrett took in the odd mix of emotion in the room and after reassessing the Chosen before him, realized why he had seemed familiar – this was the male who brought his daughter through her transition. Tehrrify looked to Thrett and he nodded his permission for her to take over.

"It's fine Bren, we just need to know if you can still sense where she is?" Tehrrify asked, radiating calm toward the frightened male. Thrett's chest swelled with pride watching his daughter use her gifts. He had always been able to sense and block the emotions and sometimes thoughts of others, but never manipulate them. Tehrrify had far surpassed his talents and was still only beginning to understand her own. Bren visibly relaxed and held her eyes as he began to nod.

"Yes, I can," Brendon, said finally. "I'm not sure where she is exactly but I can tell it's toward the east."

"That's great Brendon, can you give us a distance?" Thrett asked, trying his hardest not to break the tenuous calm Tehrrify was holding over the male, but feeling the urgency to move, now that they at least had a direction to start looking.

"Can't you just dematerialize to wherever she is and call us in, we don't have time for this!" Huhnter exclaimed, rising from his seat. Thrett sent him a warning glare and he lowered himself back down, shoving a hand through his wavy dark hair.

"I can't just…I'm not trained to…" Brendon stumbled over his words, panic leaking back into his voice.

"Don't worry about it, we don't need you to go anywhere," Tehrrify soothed, crouching down in front of him. "May I?" she asked, holding out her hands.

"Of course," Brendon said, taking her smaller hands in his.

"Thank you, now can you do me a favor?" she spoke softly. He nodded. "Close your eyes. Good, now bring it back up - the feeling of where Lucinda is. Focus on her essence and the connection you have. Excellent, now focus on where you would go if you were going to her."

Thrett leaned forward on his desk as she coached Brendon. Her eyes were closed and her brows creased in concentration. The entire room was holding their breath as they all watched her work. After a moment she gave his hands a squeeze and stood up, turning to face Thrett.

"I've got it, permission to leave sir?" she asked.

"You can't go alone Tehrrify," Thrett answered immediately, his pulse picking up at the thought of her rushing into danger without backup. As much as he trusted her skills, he wouldn't send any of his men in alone and his daughter would be no different.

"I don't have to," she said calmly. A brief flash of reservation passed over her features but her emotions were locked down tight. "Intrudehr and possibly Dhaynger can follow right behind me." She tensed her jaw but held his gaze.

Thrett clenched his fists as he looked from one male to the other. It was one thing to suspect them both of being with his daughter, but it was much worse hearing it voiced aloud.

"I agree with Huhnter sir, we don't have time for hesitation. She is terrified and in pain." Her voice held a note of urgency that Thrett couldn't deny.

"Alright, Intrudehr, Dhaynger, follow her if you can. All three of you make sure your GPS is on so that we can pinpoint your location as soon as you arrive. Understood?" Thrett commanded, keeping his mind solidly on the situation at hand to keep himself from worrying about Tehrrify.

Moments later, gun in hand, Tehrrify was waiting for his word to dematerialize in search of the missing female. Thrett reminded himself for the hundredth time that making her a Warrior meant being her Commander first and her father second. He nodded and she disappeared.

…

Tara crouched behind an overgrown bush as soon as she appeared behind the dilapidated house. She wanted to rush ahead and save the female, but she had her orders, and she was lucky that her sire had even agreed to let her come on her own. She took in her surroundings with a critical eye. The dark forest surrounding the neglected property was alive with the sounds of small forest animals, but she could hear nothing from inside of the house. The windows were all boarded up, but she could see a dim light coming from under the back door – that was hanging slightly crooked on its hinges. There was a crunching sound behind her and she whirled around quickly with her gun drawn. Tru held up his hands until she recognized him and then she took a deep breath and motioned with her head toward the house.

"I only had to wait for one of you," she whispered. "I'm going in."

She didn't wait for a response, just broke out into a run across the lawn, careful not to trip over the wild tangles of grass and weeds. Her feet flew silently over the damp ground, the foliage cushioning her footfalls. She was at the back door in seconds and her foot shot up to kick the door without a moment's hesitation. Her shitkicker made contact just to the left of the door handle, busting the flimsy deadbolt right out of the frame as the door crashed open.

The bare lightbulb hanging from the ceiling lit the dirty hallway and adjacent living area, but both were empty except for some broken furniture and what looked like a makeshift bed where someone had been squatting. The smell of blood and the sickly sweet stench of Lesser hung heavy in the air and Tara's heart picked up its pace. Having made enough noise to alert anyone that she was there, Tara knew she had no time to hesitate.

She heard - as well as felt - Tru and Dhayn entering the house behind her, and turned to motion them forward. They scanned the remains of what used to be a kitchen – now in shambles- and the attached dining area, but again there was nothing to be found. The two bedrooms off of the main hallway were bare, but for more piles of broken furniture and large smears of dark red and black on the cheap stained carpet. A sinking feeling began in the pit of her stomach.

Tara was beginning to think that she had made a mistake – taken them to the wrong house - or that maybe they were too late. Just as she was pulling out her phone to call Thrett, Dhayn shouted to her from the kitchen. She rushed down the short hallway and held her breath at the rotting stench lingering in the room. Dhayn and Tru stood across the room on the other side of an overturned fridge and motioned to a now open door she had assumed to be a pantry or broom closet when they rushed through the kitchen only moments before. As she made her way through the rubble of broken cupboards and chairs, she heard a soft whimper drift up from the open doorway. Her adrenalin spiked as she realized it was a stairway to a basement.

The guys had heard it too, and were already rushing down the dark stairs by the time she reached the top. The clamoring of heavy boots on the creaky wooden steps echoed loudly in the old vacant house, but stealth was no longer a concern. Whoever was responsible for holding Lucinda was now trapped with three very angry Warriors.

There was a dim light shining from a lamp in the far corner of the cluttered basement. The cold cement room was silent, but Tara could feel waves of fear emanating from behind a stack of moldy boxes. She opened up her senses and felt no other threat in the room. The thoughts of the frightened female pierced into her mind with her shields down, and Tara motioned for the guys to wait while she hurried over to the boxes.

"It's okay Lucinda, we are hear to help you," Tara said, letting waves of calm roll off of her toward the hiding female.

"Oh thank the Virgin, I thought that they killed him and came back for me," Lucinda said, crawling out from behind the boxes.

Her red hair was a tangled mess and her face was streaked with mascara. She was wearing a man's shirt that hung to her mid thigh, and she clutched it to her chest with a white-knuckled grip. Tara noticed the bruises on her wrists and her anger spiked.

"Are you alright? Who's coming back? Who did this to you?" Tara couldn't stop the questions from pouring out of her mouth.

"I don't know," Lucinda said, shaking her head. "I don't even know how long I've been down here. They kept me blindfolded and tied to that bed." She motioned over toward the lamp. Next to the table it sat on was a metal-framed bed with a bare, stained mattress, and ropes hanging from the four posts.

"How did you get free?" Dhayn asked from behind Tara, and Lucinda jumped back, frightened. She obviously hadn't noticed Tara's partners.

"It's okay, they are with me. We're all Warriors, sent to find you," Tara soothed, sending out more calming waves until Lucinda's shoulders relaxed.

"Is Lucian a Warrior too?" Lucinda asked.

"Who's Lucian?" Tara responded, confused.

"He's the one that found me, and there was so much fighting, and I couldn't see anything, and then he freed me but he had to run after the ones that got away…oh no, what if they killed him? You have to look for him!" Lucinda's eyes were panicked and filled with tears.

"Oh shit!" Tru exclaimed from the corner Lucinda had motioned to.

Dhayn hurried over and looked at whatever Tru was now crouching beside. Tara's interest was piqued but she didn't want to leave the frightened female while she still shook with fear. She reached for Lucinda's hand and gently took it in her own.

"We will search for him, the rest of our team is on their way," Tara assured her. "Come on, let's get you upstairs."

The two of them ascended the rickety stairs slowly with Tara's gun drawn and ready in case Lucinda's captors did make a second appearance. They carefully navigated the kitchen, the debris making it hard on Lucinda's bare feet.

Tara found a chair in the dining room that still had all four legs and righted it so that Lucinda could sit while she called Thrett. She kept a careful watch of all the exits as she filled her sire in on what they had found. The rest of the Brother's were only one minute away which helped to ease Tara' s mind, if only slightly. She wanted to get the poor female out of that disgusting place.

…

Dhayn stepped back from the bloody corpse and shook his head.

"That guy's human," he said finally, not believing his own eyes. How had a human pulled this off?

"Fucker's paid for whatever he did to that poor female that's for sure," Intrudehr replied, standing up and walking toward the stairs.

"Whoever did that has a sick fucking mind," Dhayn said, following the other male.

The body was severely beaten, and the man's… _member_ was lodged in his own throat. Dhayn shuddered again and tried to shake the image from his mind.

They found Tara in the dining room with Lucinda. Dhayn watched as Intrudehr absently placed his hand on her lower back and his forgotten anger stirred to life. Tara glanced up at him quickly and there was pleading in her eyes. Dhayn swallowed his pride and backed out of the room, deciding that someone should be watching for the others. Hopefully that would distract him from wanting to give Intrudehr the same treatment the poor fucker downstairs received.

Dhayn open the front door and stepped out onto the small porch. There were two cars in the gravel driveway, neither of them occupied. Where had the kidnappers gone? He wondered. Well, at least one of them was dead downstairs, but just how many of these bastards got away? By the smell one of them had to be a Lesser.

Two sets of headlights broke through the trees at the end of the driveway and Dhayn recognized Huhnter's Hummer and Thrett's sleek black sedan. Dust kicked up behind the cars as they sped toward the house. He called over his shoulder to let the others know that the Brother's had arrived.

Tara came out the door with her arm draped protectively around Lucinda's shoulders and Intrudehr followed a few steps behind. The cars came to a halt and the Brother's jumped out almost in unison. Dhayn fought back a smile.

Huhnter dashed from the car with incredible speed and was standing in front of the females a second later. Tara shielded Lucinda like a mother hen.

"Lucy? Are you all right? Did they hurt you? I swear to the Virgin if they hurt you…" Huhnter drifted off with anger flashing in his eyes.

 _Lucy?_ Dhayn puzzled, apparently Huhnter knew more than just her reputation. He looked back and forth as Lucinda relaxed and stepped out to see who was talking to her. She smiled in recognition and was just stepping toward Huhnter's open arms, when motion from the tree line caught Dhayn's attention. Dhayn pulled out his gun and bolted for the figure immerging from the trees without pause. He heard the other males not far behind him.

"Wait!" Lucinda called. "That's Lucian!"

The male was naked from the waist up and slowed his pace as he took in the encroaching army of angry males. He raised both hands in a motion of surrender but continued to walk confidently toward them. Dhayn looked over his shoulder and found Lucinda running barefoot across the grass. The group converged somewhere in the middle of the front lawn, tensions high, but Lucinda didn't hesitate to throw her arms around the male in an embrace.

"Oh thank the Virgin you're alive!" she said in a voice breathless from running. "I thought…when you didn't come back right away…"

"I am sorry I worried you darlin'" the male said, patting her shoulder. His muscular frame was covered in cuts and bruises and his black hair was caked in blood and disheveled.

Huhnter stepped forward from the crowd surrounding them and glared daggers at the male. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"My name is Lucian, son of Dracen," Lucian replied confidently, his dark eyes holding the Brother's as he spoke. "I would be happy to answer any of your questions gentlemen, but first, can we please get Lucinda home?"

Thrett pushed to the forefront and took control of the group, Handing Tara his keys and ordering the three Warriors to take Lucinda to the nearest clinic – the one Mel had just been released from – to get checked out. Lucian nodded in agreement and ushered her forward toward the cars.

Dhayn was irritated to have to leave, but he knew once the four of them were on their way the Brothers would question the male – without an audience – and get down to the bottom of whatever was going on. Dhayn reluctantly climbed into the back of the car with Intrudehr, letting the females have the front. Now if he could only keep himself from strangling the male next to him for fifteen minutes.


	25. Chapter 25

Mel paced back and forth in the front foyer, waiting for someone - anyone - to come home. Her bare feet were chilled against the cool marble floors, but she couldn't be bothered to go upstairs and put on shoes - not if she wasn't allowed to go out anyway.

She had proven to her Sire and Stehlth that she was fit to fight, but they still hadn't allowed her to follow after the others. They had orders to stay at the mansion with her and the rest of the household and no amount of arguing would get them to change their minds.

Thankfully, Dhayn had called her from the clinic and let her know that no one was hurt and Lucinda had been found. She was happy to not have to worry about the others but she still felt like a caged animal waiting for them to come home and fill her in on the rest of the details.

She had eaten, changed, worked out, showered, but nothing could keep her mind off of Lucinda. Mel had known the female since they were both younglings. She had been a thorn in Mel's side at every glymera event they attended, but Mel would never have wished this on her. She was a privileged, prissy, snob, but she was an innocent female civilian, and Mel couldn't get her mind around how something like this could have happened.

Wasn't it their job as Warriors and Brothers, to protect their kind from exactly this kind of attack? To hunt down any remaining Lessers, so that they could feel safe. But then, Stehlth had said the kidnappers didn't appear to be Lessers. And that really shouldn't be too much of a surprise - Mel knew first hand that the pale fuckers weren't the only twisted minds out there. She woke up every day and told herself she was doing all of this for a purpose - to avenge her sister's death, to never again be the victim, and to strike fear into the minds of anyone who might consider breaking their laws. And now to be benched on the sidelines? Mel clenched her fists and glanced again at the antique clock hanging on the wall. Almost sunrise - she'd get her answers soon enough.

As if in answer to her inner turmoil, she heard the familiar sound of the locks disengaging and the murmur of voices coming from the vestibule. Ever impatient, Mel grabbed for the handle of the heavy interior door and wrenched it open. A surprised Dhayn stumbled forward a step and bumped right into her. He gave her a bemused smile and bent his head to capture her lips.

Mel was shocked still for a moment. They had been trying not to get physical since that night in the theater, so they had pretty much stopped kissing altogether. But his warm lips reignited the flames of passion she had been keeping in check. Her eyes drifted shut as she gripped his shoulders to hold his body close to hers, but he resisted. Mel pulled back, confusion waring with rejection in her mind.

Motion from behind Dhayn caught her eye and she noticed for the first time that they weren't alone. Tara and Intrudehr waited behind him in the vestibule. Mel wanted to kick herself. She had heard voices behind the door but had forgotten all about an audience the second his lips touched hers.

Mel fought to keep her cheeks from flushing as she stepped out of the way so that the three of them could enter. Her heart was beating like a drum in her ears. She glanced at Dhayn and his smile was laced with heat, but her own was quenched when she saw the look of hurt and confusion on Tara's face. Her best friend may be able to shut down her emotions inside, but she still couldn't hide them from Mel. The two of them had been attached at the hip since birth, and if anyone could read Tara it was Mel.

More voices from outside broke through the awkward tension and Mel looked through the door to see the rest of the Brothers filing in. Thrett motioned for the group to follow him, and he walked down the hall and into the dining room. A doggen was sent to retrieve Krym and Stehlth and they all took seats around the bare rectangular table.

Mel sat in her usual seat and was happy when Tara sat down beside her. She smiled at her and tried not to react when Intrudehr sat on Tara's other side. Dhayn claimed the seat on Mel's right, which was normal as of late, and he slipped his hand into hers under the table - giving it a reassuring squeeze. Once the room was settled Thrett motioned for everyone to be quiet.

"Great job tonight everyone, we will all sleep better today knowing that Lucinda is home, safe and sound," he said sincerely. "Tehrrify, I need an update from the doc. How is she?"

"Fine sir, she had some bruising on her wrists and ankles, but was otherwise unharmed," Tara answered.

Mel sighed in relief at the news, but was confused by the look on both Dhayn and Intrudehr's faces. They both looked like they were trying to solve a puzzle.

"She was released to her parents care before we left," Tara continued.

"Good." Thrett said, nodding his head in approval. "Now for those of you who weren't there for the interrogation of the male calling himself Lucian; he claims to have been scouting out the house Lucinda was being held in as a possible location to build his new home.

He was told by his realtor that it would be empty, but when he showed up at sundown he heard screams coming from inside of the house. He found a human assaulting the young female and promptly desiccated him.

Shortly thereafter a car arrived with two Lessers and another human. He left Lucinda to hide while he fought off the new assailants, wounding both Lessers and killing the second human in the surrounding forest. The Lessers fled the scene."

"Who is this guy?" Intrudehr asked. Mel was wondering the same thing.

"He was trained at one of our facilities, but when he didn't get nominated into the Brotherhood he hired himself out as security to a Barron in the old country," Thrett explained.

"Why didn't he stay and fight as a Warrior?" Mel asked. She cherished the thought of being part of the Brotherhood, but it was still an honor to be Warrior in the king's army.

"Some accept being a Warrior as an honor, others feel it is an insult. Most of the time those are the ones we are glad to have turned down in the first place," Krym said from across the table.

"That's really too bad, he sounds like a good fighter, and he didn't even seem that worse for the wear," Tara said.

"I don't trust him," Huhnter cut in. "There is something not right about the guy." He balled his fists on the table. Mel could see the tension in his dark eyes, but she couldn't understand it.

"You just don't like him moving in on your female," Ty joked, giving Huhnter a playful shove. The other male turned to glare at him.

Mel was taken back by Huhnter's reaction, him and Ty usually got along even in the most tense situations. She wished for the hundredth time that she had been out there with them tonight. What else happened? What weren't they telling her?

"She's not my female, and my instincts are telling me that something is off about him." Huhnter looked to Thrett for feedback.

"It does seem convenient that no one was around or alive to support his claims, but there was a lot of blood - both human and Lesser - and Lucinda is praising him as her savior." Thrett gave Huhnter an understanding nod. "I agree that it all seems strange, but his anger when he told me about finding her with the human male was very real."

"If the body is anything to go by, I'd have to agree," Dhayn said, shuddering.

The rest of the males in the room seemed to cringe as well. Mel looked at him confused, but he didn't elaborate further. She squeezed his hand and furrowed her brow. When he still said nothing, Mel turned to Tara but she looked just as confused. Well at least she wasn't the only one out of the loop.

"I don't think this is the last we will hear of him either way. Hopefully next time I'll have the presence of mind to have Tehrrify get a read on him." Thrett smiled at his daughter and her eyes widened in surprise. Mel smiled too - finally someone was recognizing how great of an asset Tara was.

"I'll do my best sir," Tara said finally.

"I'm sure you will. That is all for tonight." He stood and everyone else followed suit. "Get some rest everyone, I'll have more details tomorrow on how we will proceed." He dismissed them with a wave and walked around the table and started talking with Krym as everyone dispersed.

Mel stood with Dhayn and was almost to the door when she thought to look back for Tara. She was just interrupting Thrett with a hushed tone and they both glanced at Intrudehr. Mel realized with a shock that it was now broad daylight and Intrudehr was still under their roof. Thrett nodded his head, but didn't look all that happy about whatever it was he had agreed to. Mel couldn't help but read into the glances shared between Tara and Intrudehr and her stomach clenched in response. This was really happening - Tara had moved on.

Mel turned back to find Dhayn staring over her head at the same scene. His jaw was bulging and his body was rigid with tension. Mel forgot about her own pain, and focused on his. She hated seeing him hurting like this. She rubbed his arm gently and stepped up to whisper in his ear.

 _"I'm_  still hear."

She hadn't known what she was going to say until she said it, and she immediately wanted to take it back. She wasn't jealous of Dhayn's affection for Tara, she shared it. Dhayn pulled her out into the hall and pressed a quick kiss on her lips.

"I know Mel, and I love you. I feel like I'm going crazy. I want you so much, but I can't stand the thought of her taking him to her room." Dhayn sighed and rested his chin on the top of her head, pulling her close.

"I'm losing her too D, but I won't let that ruin what we have," Mel said, barely above a whisper. "Let's just try not to think about it, at least for tonight." She was finally home after all.

"And how would you suggest we do that?" Dhayn asked, pulling back to look at her.

"Oh, I can think of a few good ways," Mel joked.

She raised her eyebrow and watched as Dhayn's blue and green eyes lit up with understanding. Mel felt her body respond immediately. Now that there was nothing keeping them from being together, all of her pent up sexual urges seemed to flood to the surface.

"My room or yours?" he asked in a husky voice.

"Yours," Mel answered quickly. His was closer.

...

Dhayn headed up the large central staircase with a single purpose, and his cock was already rock hard at the thought. Mel gripped his hand and kept pace with him as he rushed down the hall and into his room. The door closed with a thud and he engaged the lock to keep from being interrupted.

It had been a very long time since he had made love to his female, and even longer since they had purposefully locked themselves together without the lingering guilt of what it would mean. He stalked Mel across his dimly lit room as she backed toward his simple modern bed The navy comforter was pulled up neatly, but would soon be a tangled mess.

"Do you want to do this or should I?" Mel asked in a sultry voice, popping the button on the fly of her jeans - a mischievous look in her bronze eyes.

"Off. Now," Dhayn growled in response, and roughly pulled his shirt over his head and tore at the fly of his own dark denim jeans. He shoved them to the floor and paused only long enough to kick his feet free.

His need was all encompassing, now that he had let it loose. His body shook with fine tremors as his tried to hold himself back. A primal urge took him over as Mel slid out of her clothes, and before he could stop himself, he had bent her over the side of his bed and buried himself to the hilt in her wet heat. Mel moaned in pleasure and rocked her hips backward.

Instinct drove him as he started to thrust into her, his fangs elongating and aching to pierce her soft delicate skin. He gripped her hips as currents of electric pleasure coursed through his body, concentrating on the head of cock as it slid against her inner walls. He felt his balls tighten and nearly blacked out in ecstasy as his climax overtook him.

"I'm sorry," he said, pulling out of her reluctantly. With the lust-crazed fog receding from his mind, shame and regret sank like lead in his gut. He had meant their reunion to be special, to make slow sweet love to her at least once before he lost control.

"Shut up D, I like it rough," Mel said raising an eyebrow in challenge.

She spun around him with blurring speed and shoved him hard on both shoulders. He tumbled backward onto the bed with a shock. She pounced on him, straddling him on all fours. Dhayn felt his shaft lengthening in response and pulled her in for a devouring kiss. Her soft lips yielded to his as he claimed her, his tongue dancing with hers until they were both moaning and desperate for breath.

"Again," she growled against his lips.

Dhayn gripped her hips and flipped them both in a swift movement. Once he was hovering over her, Mel tilted her head to the side and ran her tongue over a long white fang. His heart rate picked up at the thought of drinking from her again. He gave her a questioning look, wanting to make sure she knew where this was going. She glared back at him and tilted her head purposefully to the right.

Dhayn didn't have to ask twice. As he slowly entered her from below, he positioned his head so that they could both drink at the same time. His throbbing fangs sank into her tender flesh and his body was racked with shudders. Her sweet rich blood was like a glass of water after running a marathon. He held on, still thrusting painfully slow, until he felt Mel's walls clench around him. Then he let himself fall effortlessly into paradise.

They spent the day together, exhausting themselves until sleep took them. Dhayn still held Mel in his arms as he woke the next night, and a little part of his heart started to heal.


	26. Chapter 26

Tara looked over her ice blue gown with a critical eye. The lacy traditional dress with the little cap sleeves and sweetheart neckline was not what she thought she would be wearing on her next shift with Tru, but Lucinda's parents were throwing an epic party to celebrate her safe return, and the Warriors who found her were on the top of the extravagantly large guest list. In fact, most of the Brothers and Warriors that Tara knew were going to be there tonight, along with hundreds of civilians.

The Brothers had decided to use the party as another excuse to survey the glymera and the other citizens – hoping to glean some more information, or clues, on who was behind the secret rebellion. They were still operating under the impression that whoever was leading the rogue vampires had to be someone of influence.

With the Lessers kidnapping their people, and the rebellion brewing discord from within, it seemed like the Brotherhood was being hit on all sides. It was hard to know which enemy to fight first, especially when both were so damn good at hiding.

Tonight Tara's sire had suggested she play the non-threatening female – hence the delicate girly dress and loose barrel curls floating around her shoulders. Mel would be decked out in something sexy and seductive – they were covering all the bases. The males were none to pleased about the orders to back off of the girls and let them work. Of course, they would be there too – dressed to impress the females.

"I don't know if I can do it," Tru said, stepping up behind Tara and sweeping her hair off of one shoulder to place a soft kiss on her neck.

"What, flirt with all the pretty females?" Tara asked, suppressing her shivers as his warm lips lingered on her skin.

"Keep my hands off of you," Tru corrected her, sliding his big hands over her hips and pulling her back against his body. _He_ obviously liked the new dress. Tara usually relaxed her shields when she was alone with Tru at his place – she still couldn't refer to it as their place, not even to herself – so she could feel how much he wanted her mentally and physically. She had to take a deep shuddering breath as she stepped reluctantly out of his grasp.

"It won't help my cover if I'm wearing your bonding scent," Tara said with a smile as she turned to face him. She placed her palms on his chest and quivered again as the muscles flexed beneath her fingertips. There wasn't one inch of him that wasn't toned to perfection. _Don't start thinking about inches Tara._

Tru was wearing a deep red silk shirt and black tailored pants. He looked good enough to eat. Tara's high strappy silver shoes put her at eye level with him and she couldn't help but lean forward and press a soft kiss on his lips. The male shivered, but Tara heard his thoughts and moved out of reach before he could lock her in his embrace.

"You can't run in that outfit, so don't tease the tiger," Tru warned, his golden brown eyes alight with humor and heat.

Tara raised her brows, grabbed her clutch from the nearby table and motioned toward the door. Tru gave her a lingering smile as he walked backwards across the loft. She shook her head at him in amusement.

"We need to get out of here before I wipe that smile off your face," she teased.

Tru just laughed, and held the door to the hallway open for her. She passed him and waited at the elevators while he locked up. They rode down to the lobby sharing heated glances and promising smiles. Maybe Tru was right, and staying apart tonight was going to be harder than she thought.

The drive in Tru's truck was relatively short. They were just beyond the city limits when the NAV system told them to turn off onto a private drive. The European-style manor was exactly as Tara had remembered it from an event she attended a few years before. The siding and stonework were a clean crisp grey in the unveiled moonlight. The many windows, varying in shape and size, dotted the expansive building with a golden glow leaking out from the inside.

Most of their kind still tried to blend in with society, preferring to expand their houses underground, or settle for a more modest dwelling. This family was one of the exceptions. They were one of the wealthiest bloodlines and weren't shy at all about displaying their worth. Not without cause: Lucinda's sire sits as chairman on the counsel and her mahmen is a prominent member of the glymera. They both came from wealthy families dating back to the old country where they surely lived in large manors not unlike this one.

Tara had to remember not to take Tru's hand as they walked up the large stone steps leading up to the well-lit doorway. Her hand felt oddly empty, unexpectedly so. She scratched her palm with her French manicured nails to stem off the urge to reach out.

The lights inside we're almost blinding, and she had to blink several times to clear her vision. Three crystal chandeliers hung in the foyer alone, sending shattered illumination over the soft cream-colored walls.

Tara and Tru were greeted by a doorman in tails and shiny black shoes, who motioned for them to enter the vast ballroom off to the left. The room was already full of colorful bodies, mingling and dancing over the gleaming white marble floors to the soft music being played by a string quartet in the far corner of the room. There must have been two hundred guests there already, all in their finest. Tara took in the unnecessarily large room: the golden walls that looked soft as satin were now broken up with damask curtains of white and gold. They had been a deep plum the last time she attended an event there.

"I guess I'll see you later tonight," Tru said, standing a few feet to her right. His eyes were creased with displeasure, and had she not been blocking out his mind already, Tara would surely have felt the weight of his bonding instincts so close to the surface.

"Let's get this over with," Tara replied. She slithered into his brain and spoke the rest right into his mind. _'You can claim me any way you want when the sun comes up and I'm in your bed.'_

Heat flared behind Tru's golden brown eyes, so Tara gave him a quick wave and slipped into the crowd, weaving through the guests until she spotted her sire's familiar back. He was talking with Lucinda's mahmen Kathryn, who was dressed in an elegant silver couture gown that complimented her jet-black hair perfectly. Her eyes were a dark silver-blue, that was emphasized by her smoky eye makeup. Tara stepped up beside Thrett silently while he finished his sentence. The older female's face lit up.

"Tara!" she exclaimed, stepping forward to place a kiss on both of her cheeks. "Thank you for coming, Lucinda will be so happy you are here."

Tara was a little taken back. The queen bee female had never once spoken to her at any event, and now she was receiving her like a close family friend. Tara probed at Kathryn's mind, but found only sincerity in her pleasant greeting. Keeping a smile on her face, Tara bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you for the invitation. How is Lucinda?" Tara asked hesitantly.

"Back to her usual self, thank the Virgin." Kathryn smiled and placed a hand above her heart. "I feared for the worst, but I have my daughter back."

"I am glad to hear it," Tara said honestly. "Lucinda must be a strong female to bounce back from such an ordeal so quickly."

"She is very resilient, and of course she has had Lucian around to cheer her up." Kathryn motioned across the room. Tara followed her line of sight until she spotted the male that had showed up in the clearing the night they found Lucinda. She was clinging to his arm and gazing up at him in adoration as he spoke to those gathered around them.

"Oh that's...great," Tara said hesitantly. She still didn't trust Lucian, but apparently everyone else had accepted him into the fold. She would have to do a little digging into his mind later and find out more about him.

They exchanged some more pleasantries until Kathryn politely excused herself to deal with a catering problem. Tara looked to her sire for his direction on where he wanted her to start first, a renewed sense of excitement thrumming under the surface of her carefully crafted shields.

…

Dhayn smiled at the crowd of females surrounding Lucinda, trying to remember to look relaxed. Lucian enthralled them all as he told them the story of how he had stumbled upon – and quickly saved Lucinda. The male seemed far too cocky to be a real Warrior, bragging about his own bravery and ease at killing her captives. Dhayn was starting to get a clearer picture of why the Brotherhood hadn't welcomed him with open arms; he could barely stand to be around him for a few minutes.

"Isn't he brave?" A petite female named Dehbie standing on Dhayn's right asked, looking up at him with wide brown eyes and she laid a delicate hand on his shoulder. She was wearing a mint green gown and had her mousy brown hair pulled up into an elaborate up-do. He almost shrugged her off, but then he remembered his role. He gave her what he hoped was an earnest smile and nodded at the older male.

"We were very grateful for his help fighting off Lucinda's captors while we tracked her down," Dhayn said, careful with his wording – the Brotherhood had to save face after a civilian beat them to the punch. With disease already brewing behind the scenes, the last thing they needed was this cocky SOB drawing attention to the sensitive situation.

Lucian's ego was eating up the space and Dhayn was ready to leave. He wanted to point out that the male had let some of her captors get away, and that he hadn't done any real investigating to find her, but that would only paint Dhayn as jealous, so he kept his lips sealed.

"Would you like to dance," he asked the little female. Her eyes widened again in shock and a tinge of pink colored her cheeks.

"Yes, that would be nice," she replied in a small voice.

Dhayn offered her his arm and bowed his head to his hostess in farewell. Lucian didn't give him a second glance. He could barely feel the small hand linked with his elbow as they walked across to the rest of the dancers. A new song was starting up, as they faced each other and started to dance.

Dhayn was very careful as he danced with her. Dehbie seemed so fragile compared to his females. _Female_ , he corrected himself. He had caught site of Tara entering with Tru and had done his best to block out the gnawing feeling in his gut ever since. At least if he saw her flirting with other males tonight he knew it was all a show, but with Tru it was the real thing, and that was something he didn't think he would ever be able to stomach.

"So you're a Warrior?" Dehbie asked, looking up at him openly.

"Yes," he replied. "What keeps you busy?"

"Oh I'm just my sire's assistant," she said shyly, looking away.

"And who is your sire?" Dhayn asked. He was here to get information after all – however doubtful he was for a positive outcome, he still had a job to do.

"Nevyn of the house of Ghard. He's an accountant." She didn't look disappointed, or proud, just an ordinary female talking about her ordinary family. Dhayn wasn't really expecting to glean much information from her but he had the rest of the song to talk to her before he could politely extricated himself from her weak grip on his much larger hand.

"I think I recognize the name," Dhayn lied. "Is he part of the counsel?"

"Oh, no. He hates politics," she said with a shake of her head. She continued to stare up at him longingly, with nothing else to say.

The music faded to a close and Dhayn quickly led her to the side of the dance floor. The small frown on Dhebie's lips vanished when he gave her a huge smile.

"Thank you for the dance. If you'll excuse me I have to check in with my uncle," he lied again smoothly. Dhebie blushed as he bent to kiss her hand, and he quickly wove his way through the crowd in search of someone else to question.

What he found was Mel. She had come early with her mahmen to visit Cynthia's long-time friend Kathryn, their other hostess for the evening. Dhayn had yet to find her in the mass of guests, partially because he didn't want to see her mingling with other males, but now she stood out from the crowd like a candle in a dark room. She was wearing a daring black dress that clung to her body from shoulder to thigh. The tight bodice barely concealed her breasts, the opening dipping to just above her navel. Her hair was flat-ironed to hang over her shoulders, creating honey-brown curtains to frame her smoky eyes and pouty red lips. She looked stunning. Dhayn bumped into a stranger as he faltered in his step. Male admirers surrounded her, all vying for her attention. He balled his fists and resumed walking toward her with purpose. Stehlth stepped in his path.

"Stop," Stehlth warned. He gripped Dhayn's shoulder until he met his eyes.

Dhayn growled low in his throat and glared at his uncle. Stehlth raised a brow at him and waited. Slowly reason sunk back into Dhayn's mind and he took a breath to relax himself.

"Thanks," he said, "I wasn't expecting that."

"I was." Stehlth smiled at him and gave him a pat on the back. "You're a bonded male, it's only natural."

Dhayn stood, a little startled, as Stehlth left him to mingle with the other guests. He regained his composure and forced his eyes away from Mel. He scanned the room for another female to question, settling on a redhead at the refreshments table.

 _You can do this,_ he told himself. He relaxed his shoulders and strode across the room with confidence. The female turned as he approached her, her face flushing as she took him in. She didn't stand a chance.

…

Tru was working the older ladies, shamelessly flirting with the prim and proper members of the glymera, and watching them swoon to his charms. His efforts weren't gleaning any information unfortunately, and he was ready to give up when a familiar face joined the crowd of females surrounding him.

"Mahmen?" he said wide eyed. The amped up mood was quenched immediately and several of the females backed away immediately to blend in with the crowd.

"Hello Intrudehr," she said, reaching out her arms, and quickly dropping them to her sides.

"Come here," Tru said, opening his arms up in invitation. She stepped into his embrace carefully and Tru felt awful for her hesitation.

Tru had begun talking to her on the phone at Tara's insistence several weeks ago, but this was the first time he had seen her since he broke the silence between them. Now that his anger had subsided, he felt terrible that his animosity toward his sire was hurting his mahmen.

"It is so good to see you," she said in a choked voice. When she pulled away there were tears standing in her golden-brown eyes - so similar to his own.

"You too," he replied honestly. She looked a bit older even in the short time they had been estranged, but she was still a polished woman of class. "You look stunning, as always."

She looked down at her copper satin gown and picked at an invisible spec of dust. "You're too kind, my son." She held herself with poise as they considered each other.

"I'm sorry it's been so long…" Tru started.

"I know why you left." Her voice held a note of bitterness that Tru had never heard from her before. "Anyway, where is this beautiful female you are so smitten with?"

"Oh, uhh…" Tru scrambled for the right words to say to her. He couldn't exactly point her out. What could he say? 'She's right over there, the one talking and dancing with all of those males. Oh and by the way you can't tell anyone we're together.' Ya, that would sound totally normal.

"It's okay…if you don't want me to meet her…"

"No, that's not it," Tru assured her. "She is…working tonight," he finished lamely. Technically the truth, but he wasn't sure how much he should tell her. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of the possibility of running into his parents at the party earlier – he would have come up with a better back story.

"At a party like this?" she inquired. She was too smart for her own good.

"She's...networking. I promise I'll introduce you later. Or maybe we can come over to the house sometime soon," Tru tried to lead her away from questions he couldn't answer. Her face lit up like he'd offered her a million dollars.

"Would you?" she asked. "You could come for a meal. I can make all of your favorites, unless she doesn't like the same things as you. I could make whatever she likes too."

"You can make all of your favorites, and I'm sure we will both love them," he said smiling back at her. Sure he'd have to suffer through sitting in the same room as his sire, but it was time to make things right.

...

Mel was riding a liberating high. She had always hated these kinds of parties. The girls didn't like her - because she hated most of them, and hated being there - and the boys either looked her over, or got bored after a few minutes of awkward silence. Her sister Phyrie had been the socialite, the girly-girl, the one who loved the dresses and dancing. She had strung males along and gossiped with the females. After she was killed, Mel was happy to stay in Tara's shadow. But tonight was a different story. From the moment she strode into the room with her killer black dress, heads had turned her way. She had found it awkward at first to keep up with the advances, but as the night went on she became more confident in her skin and found herself flirting easily with many males, and even some females.

It felt odd to be working alone, but she knew the part she had to play, and she was playing it well. She still felt like she had to prove herself after the shooting - even if Thrett and Krym had both assured her that her place with the Warriors was secure.

The young male who was leading her to the refreshments table - Rehn - was a stranger to her, but he could have been at every event she had ever been to. He had recently went through his transition so his new, much larger body would be completely foreign to her even if she had been more social at other parties.

She watched the back of his head as he weaved through the crowded room with his warm dry hand wrapped around hers. His red-brown hair was short and neatly groomed and his black suit was cut to fit him perfectly - obviously a man of class. She had noticed his dominant air and stance amongst the other males and decided that he was worth investigating.

He stopped at the table and dropped her hand to offer her a glass of wine. She took it and motioned to a nearby chaise as the couple sitting on it rose and headed to the dance floor. He procured a glass of his own and walked with her the few steps to the sit down.

"That's pretty crazy _he_ found her before the Brothers could," he said nodding to their left where a group stood in a loose circle.

She had to swallow her retort and follow his gaze. Lucinda was standing with a flock of her girly friends, some of whom Mel recognized and some she didn't. Standing right by her side was an older male who looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on where she had seen him before. She knew by Rehn's comment that he must be the notorious Lucian.

"Lucky he was looking at that house, or who knows what would have happened," she replied in a worried tone. Of course she knew exactly what would have happened; Tara and the guys would have busted in there twenty minutes later the same way he had, only they wouldn't have let anyone get away. But she was looking for members of the resistance and she wouldn't find them if she outed herself. So far no one knew she was a Warrior, and she planned to keep it that way - at least for tonight.

"I heard that the Brotherhood turned him down because he wasn't pure enough for them - didn't have rich enough blood," Rehn's said, watching her face for her reaction.

Was this guy serious? Mel worked to look appropriately shocked, but rolled her eyes on the inside. _Well, someone sounds a little bitter._ Maybe she had found a lead after all. Excitement pulsed in her veins as she thought out her response.

Just as she was about to speak, her words were cut off by the sound of laughter from the group surrounding Lucinda. She froze at the chilling sense of spiders crawling up her spine, and she searched out the source of the laughter. Lucian was smiling at Lucinda as she talked and when he laughed again Mel felt the blood drain from her face. She knew that laugh; it had plagued her nightmares for as long as she could remember.

The same male who had saved Lucinda, had put a bullet through Phyrie's heart.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Tara breathed a sigh of relief when the wife of the male she was dancing with interrupted their dance - with a very annoyed glare at her mate. She was so tired, more so mentally than physically, and was happy to walk away from the boring male who had insisted on a second dance. She had never _listened_ for that long before and it was giving her one hell of a headache. She rubbed her temples with her fingertips as she wove through the dancers, looking for an exit. She slid her mental shields back into place to give her mind a reprieve.

A warm hand rested on her lower back and she had to suppress a sigh. She pasted on a smile and turned to her next _suitor_. Tru stood behind her with a wicked smile on his face. Tara grinned back at him and felt the tension in her back relax immediately.

“You aren’t supposed to fraternizing with me or Mel remember?” she chided him - doing her best impression of her sire - but she let him take her hand and lead her back onto the dance floor without a fight.

“Oh, I know, but I think it would be too suspicious if I talk and dance with every female in the room accept the prettiest one here.” He squeezed the hand he held in his.

“I doubt anyone is keeping track of whom you’ve danced with,” Tara said, but she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face.

“They are now, and they’ll be jealous of you and want me even more,” he replied.

“You don’t need jealousy to attract them, and you know it,” Tara raised a brow in challenge. “Use your gifts and they’ll tell you whatever you want, just to get in your pants.”

Tru frowned and looked away. Tara had been enjoying the silence of having her shields back in place - which was an odd thought, seeing as how it was usually the other way around - but she was really tempted to lift them and find out what was bothering her male. He never seemed to have a problem experimenting with his special talents in the months they had been together.

“I haven’t tried that on anyone but you since...well since you moved in,” Tru said, answering her question before she had to ask it.

“I never pegged you as _shy_ Tru,” Tara hedged.

He spun her in a swift circle and pulled her close to his body. Tara’s heart sped up in response and she had to focus hard to keep herself from giving in and kissing him. She felt the slide of his influence as it soaked into her skin and her legs quivered beneath her flowing dress.

“So you want me doing this,” he released another wave of lust over her and Tara felt her panties grow damp in response. “To all the other females in the room?” he finished with an evil grin.

“Stop it, before I jump you in the middle of the dance floor,” Tara scolded. She wasn’t used to resisting Tru’s pull now that they were together, so it felt strange as she pushed back mentally until he smiled and drew back - both physically and with his _gift_.

“So do you?” he asked again.

“Without the touching, yes,” she answered hesitantly. “I’m not saying you should fuck them all, just...make them want you enough to tell you all their little secrets.” Tara didn’t particularly like the idea of anyone else lusting after her male, but if it helped them unmask the rebellion it could be worth it.

“I’m working mainly the older crowd Princess, and I don’t enjoy the thought of them ogling me,” he said with a hint of disgust. “I just ran into my mahmen.” He shuddered.

“Really?” Tara asked. Okay so maybe that would be creepy. “How did that go?”

“Well, after I recovered from the shock.” Tru supported her weight as he dipped her in time to the music. “She wanted to meet you but I didn’t think that would be such a great idea tonight.”

“Good call,” Tara said.

“I may have promised her we would go over one night for a meal. I hope that’s okay?” Tru watched her face, so Tara had to control her reaction - her heart speeding up at the thought of meeting Tru’s parents. That seemed like a big step.

“Of course,” she replied with a smile. Tru’s shoulders relaxed - she hadn’t even felt him tense. She would cross that bridge later - they had already been dancing together for too long.

“Have you found out anything useful?” she asked to get things back on track.

“No, the females here are too caught up in the comfort of the familiar, I doubt any of them would rebel against the Brotherhood because it’s tradition - their mates would be stupid to include them in a rebellion - and one thing we know for sure is that whoever is behind all of this is far from stupid.” Tru’s forehead was creased with concern and Tara itched to smooth away the lines with her fingertips.

“Why don’t you move on to some of the males?” Tara suggested. “I’m sure there are a few here who would respond better to you than me or Mel.”

“Most males here know I’m a Warrior, I don’t think they would let their guards down enough to let anything slip.” Tru said.

“Unless you used a little of your _talent_ to mess with their heads.” Tara knew Tru had used his _gift_ on males before - he had told her as much - and that it worked just as well on them as it did on females.

“I’ll think about it,” Tru said, cutting of the conversation with another irritated look.

Just as Tara was about to press the issue she felt a sharp slap of fear - a familiar fear that she could recognize even with her shields up. The flavor of the emotions were as familiar to her as her own and she immediately stepped back from Tru in search of her best friend.

“What’s wrong?” Tru asked, stepping to follow her.

“I don’t know, but you can’t help.” Tara was too concerned by the anger and dread seeping into her mind, that she didn’t think about how that would sound until after it left her lips. “Sorry, it’s Mel,” she rushed to explain. “Don’t worry I got this, you get back to work.” She rushed away from a stunned Tru, wondering what could possibly have stirred up these old emotions in her friend.

…......

_I am going to kill him slowly,_ Mel thought. Rising to her feet - her anger finally outweighing her crippling fear. Mel hated that she still feared this male, but when your nightmare strolls arrogantly into a ballroom how else can you react? Mel had forgotten about the knife strapped to her inner thigh, but the weight was reassuring to her now that she was stalking toward her prey. Her vision was blurred with a crimson haze that grew brighter with every step. To hell with this mission, to hell with her cover - this male was going to die right here, right now.

“Mel,” Tara’s voice was more inside her head than in her ears. Suddenly the red faded away from her sight and Mel felt a sleepy wave of calm flow over her. She loosened her fists and was surprised to feel the sting of cuts on her palms where her nails had broken the skin. She knew she was mad, that she had to kill the bastard that had raped and killed her only sister, but she couldn’t _feel_ anything but peace and calm. She spun around trying to locate Tara in the crowded ballroom.

“Are you okay?” Rhen - her forgotten dance partner - asked from her left.

“There you are!” Tara said in an over-excited voice.

Mel spun to her right and grabbed onto her friend’s hand. _Let my mind go Tara, it’s_ him _, Lucian is the one from the alley._ Mel projected her thoughts as loud as she could.

“I _need_ to talk to you. Can I steal you away for a minute?” Tara asked, unfazed - though Mel saw a slight twitch in her right eye. _Are you sure?_ Tara asked silently.

“Yes,” Mel said - answering both questions aloud. She could still feel Tara’s control dampening her emotions, but she knew the female was only trying to help - or was that Tara’s influence as well?

Tara linked her arm through Mel’s and pulled her gently away from Rhen and her target. They swept quickly through the crowd to a mostly vacant hallway. Once they were out of earshot Tara turned to face to face her. Mel felt it when Tara receded from her mind - the fear rushed back first, swiftly followed by her anger.

“Why did you pull me away?” she demanded. “He killed Phyrie! I need to make him pay.” Mel’s voice dropped low in a dangerous whisper. She could feel her muscles tensing for the fight, and adrenaline shooting through her veins.

“Think about this Mel,” Tara dipped her head to catch Mel’s eye. When their eyes met the room around them faded out and Mel felt their lifelong connection click into place. It was like putting on a favorite pair of jeans. They stood like that for a few minutes before Tara broke the silence - bringing them back to the here and now.

“We are undercover in a house full of people - some of whom are looking for an excuse to discredit the Brotherhood. What do you think is going to happen if you attack the guest of honor?”

“I don’t care!” Mel raised her voice, heat rising to her face.

“We need to talk to Thrett or Krym before we do anything. You have to calm down,” Tara insisted, pulling Mel into a gentle embrace. “I believe you and we will get him, but not here - not now Mel.”

“I can’t go back in there and not kill him Tara.” She was dead serious about that.

Mel knew if anyone could understand her, it would be Tara, and she held on tighter to the female as tears started to slide down her cheeks. She was furious and confused, but she was thankful that Tara was letting her keep control of her own emotions. Mel had a second to marvel at how much Tara’s skills had grown in the past few months before another familiar voice caught her attention.

“What’s wrong?” Dhayn asked, his arms held out awkwardly like he wanted to join in on the hug but had stopped himself halfway.

“We need Thrett. Lucian’s not who he says he is,” Tara explained, releasing her hold on Mel so that Dhayn could step in and take over.

“I knew there was something off about him. What did you find out?” Dhayn asked as he rubbed Mel’s back. She felt herself calm a little more at his touch and she surrendered to his reassuring strength. She had the two people she loved the most on her side and that was enough to take the edge off of her rage.

“He killed my sister,” Mel said. She felt all the muscles under Dhayn’s suit tense at her words.

“Then he’s a dead male,” Dhayn growled. She couldn’t agree more.

…......

Tru had to shake himself out of his stupor and get back to work, but Tara’s abrupt departure had left him more than a little confused. Where was she? And what had freaked her out all of a sudden. He didn’t think that it was anything he had said, but he ran through their conversation again in his mind just to be sure. _Nope, nothing outside of the norm,_ he decided.

If anything he should be upset. She kept insisting he use his weird sexual draw - something he only recently discovered was even possible - on other people. He hadn’t been meaning to influence people in the past, and the thought of it still kind of creeped him out. She only wanted him to mess with their heads, not actually sleep with them, but he still didn’t know if he even knew how to do that. Tara didn’t really understand how his _gift_ \- as she called it - really worked. Half the time he didn’t even understand it. He had been working with her to learn how to keep the draw under control, but they hadn’t really practiced letting it loose without the end result being naked and sweaty. Tru shook himself again to keep his mind from thoughts of being with Tara, which would not help his control.

He headed to the bar and poured himself a strong drink. The rye burned going down but it did help take the edge off. He scanned the room, wondering whom he should interrogate next.

“Intrudehr,” a male voice said from beside him. Tru was all too familiar with the sound of this male. He turned to face his sire.

“Bharron.” Tru gave his sire a half nod in greeting. He hadn’t seen the male in months but he felt his anger stirring to the surface and had to tamper it down. He looked powerful and commanding in his black three-piece Armani suit. His dark hair was still short and professional and his slate-grey eyes were shrewd and calculating. It seemed odd that Tru was now a completely different male, while his sire was exactly as he had always been.

“Your mahmen tells me that the prodigal son is coming home for dinner. What happened? Did you squander your inheritance already?” His cocky stance and smug grin made the hair on the back of Tru’s neck stand on end.

“No,” Tru answered bluntly. He had forgotten how much he hated the male who raised him - if you could call beating him between business trips a form of parenting. Tru realized with a small thrill that he was taller than his sire now, and in much better shape. He squared his shoulders and stared right back at the older male.

“Well I see it’s not because you’ve missed me,” Bharron laughed and brought his drink to his lips to take a sip of the amber liquid.

“I’ve been gone a long time, Mahmen deserves better,” _than you_ , he finished silently. Tru had to remind himself that he had promised to try and be cordial - for his mahmen.

“How is business?” Tru asked to try and break the ice - or in their case the brick wall - between them. Bharron had inherited a lot of his wealth from his sire - as had Tru - but he had taken his share and invested it in many companies over the years - multiplying it tenfold. Tru may have hated the male, but he couldn’t fault his business sense.

“Keeping me busy, the factory in Texas is starting to lose ground so I’m headed down there next week to take what is mine and invest it elsewhere.” Bharron said arrogantly.

He seemed to relax easily after that. He filled Tru in on his businesses and partners, oblivious to the fact that he had no interest in any of it. The minutes seemed to slow as his sire monologued about the pros and cons of playing the stock market in today’s economy. Tru tuned back in only when he heard a familiar name.

“Sorry, who did you say?” he interrupted.

“Lucian, the male who bested the Brotherhood and saved that poor female,” Bharron said, clearly irritated that Tru hadn’t been paying close enough attention. “I transferred him to my security team here in the city, and it’s a good thing I did.” He seemed quite pleased with himself.

“Lucian works for you?” Tru asked.

“Of course, he has for years. Another of the Brotherhood’s mistakes - letting him go.” Bitterness leaked into his tone and Tru knew he was thinking of his own rejection.

“He was offered a place as a Warrior,” Tru said, thinking of both of the males.

“An insult,” Bharron snapped.

“An honor,” Tru corrected. “I am happy to continue to serve as a Warrior if they choose not to accept me into their ranks.” He would definitely take a hit to his pride, but it he would accept their decision - Virgin knows he was glad they hadn’t initiated his sire.

“We shall see, when the time comes for your refusal,” Bharron said indignantly.

Tru clenched his jaw. So they had come full circle. He would never last more than ten minutes in a conversation with his sire without wanting to deck him. He took a deep breath and set his empty glass down on the table.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Tru said, stepping away. “I guess I’ll be seeing you again soon.”

Bharron smiled as if he had won their verbal battle and waved Tru off. The male was just asking for a right hook to the face. Tru turned and walked away before he could do anything stupid. He had to find one of the Brothers and fill them in on what his sire had told him. Why hadn’t Lucian told them who he worked for?

…......

Dhayn held Mel’s hand tight in the car ride back to the mansion. She was not happy - understandably so - about leaving without Lucian’s head. Her sire had to be physically subdued by Thrett and Steahlth to get him into the car. Tara and Intrudehr were staying longer with a couple of the Brothers to avoid suspicion, but Thrett had insisted on removing Mel and her family to avoid a disaster. Dhayn and his uncle were accompanying them back to the mansion just in case they decided to try and return to the party and finish Lucian off.

“I don’t care who he saved, I’m going to see him dead D,” Mel broke the tense silence.

“And I’ll be there to back you up, but Thrett is right,” Dhayn gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “We have to get some sort of proof Mel, you remembering his voice from over ten years ago won’t cut it now that he has placed himself on such a high pedestal.” Dhayn knew she was pissed about her word not being enough, but he had to agree with the Commander on this one.

“How am I supposed to sit by and wait while we find this _proof_ , there isn’t any!” Mel threw her head back against the headrest in exasperation.

“We will think of something, and if not then the two of us will track him down and take him out,” Dhayn could see her relax at his words.

“I’m going to hold you to that,” she said seriously.

They pulled in to the long drive of the mansion and Dhayn went through the various security checks until they pulled up in front of the main entrance. He nodded to Henry - giving the doggen permission to park his car - and wrapped an arm around Mel’s waist as they climbed the stone steps. The thin material was soft to the touch and Dhayn couldn’t help but run his fingers down to her hip.

“I can think of a few ways to distract you for the rest of the night,” he whispered in her ear, giving the lobe a gentle bite with a fully extended fang. Mel shivered all over.

Dhayn was very good at distractions.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

  


Mel was not in a good mood. Granted, she hadn't been in good mood for the past six days. Why? Because Lucian's head was still attached to his shoulders. She had argued at length with her sire and with the commander. She knew it made more sense to figure out his end game and who else was working with him before executing him for past crimes, but that didn't mean she didn't wake up every night with the urge to hunt him down and make him suffer. 

  


She had to admit that a huge part of her impatience was in knowing that she couldn't be part of the mission to infiltrate and gain information from him. She looked too much like her sister, for one, and with the male already working for Tru's sire it made much more sense to send him and Tara in undercover - especially giving Tara's abilities. It all made _sense,_ but she still didn't like it either way. It didn't help that Dhayn's uncle had called him away in the morning and he hadn't come back, so she had been forced to brood and sleep alone.

  


She rummaged through her closet for something to wear, hating everything she had. She grabbed a random pair of faded blue jeans off the shelf and tugged them on roughly. She pushed hangers aside impatiently as she sorted through her shirts and stopped on an old favorite. She was about to pull the green T-shirt off its hanger when she remembered who she got it from - Phy had passed it along after one of her closet purges. Mel felt her anger stir up again and she flung out her arm, knocking several shirts to the ground along with the old green tee. She closed her eyes and counted to ten, slowing her breathing to get her temper under control. _They promised you could be there when his sentence is delivered. As long as he dies in the end, that's what matters._

  


She blindly reached out and pulled down a random shirt that was left hanging to her right and shoved it over her head. The red silk blouse was too pretty for a random night around the house, but maybe if she could get herself to look something other than miserable, she might start to feel that way too. The fabric was feather light and soft against her heated skin – clinging to all the right places. But the jeans weren't quite right. She shrugged them off and found a dark denim skirt that hugged her hips and hit her mid-thigh. She glanced at herself in the mirror and had to admit she looked good, even if she still felt like shit.

  


She brushed out her long golden-brown hair and applied a little make-up, hoping the menial tasks would take her mind off of things - they didn't. Resolved to feeling crappy no matter what she did, Mel left her room in search of Dhayn.

  


It was their night off. Some of the other WITs had graduated up to patrolling duties and Tara and Tru were knee deep in their secret mission, so her and Dhayn had nothing to do - _except fret and worry, and wish you were out finding Lucian._

  


Mel frowned and tried again to shake off her bad mood. There was noise coming from the dining room so she headed that way - her stomach reminding her that she still hadn't eaten first meal. She rounded the corner and stopped short as everyone in the room turned toward her at once with a loud "surprise!" She looked over her shoulder, not sure who they were yelling at, but no one was there. Turning back to the room she saw what she had missed the first time - a large hand-painted banner with 'Happy Birthday' scrawled across it in familiar messy bright blue writing. It took her a few seconds to remember what day it was and a few more to get over the fact that she had forgotten her own birthday. 

  


Dhayn had risen from his seat and came over to give her a hug. She thawed against his strong chest and a nervous giggle started in her own. He kissed her forehead as he pulled back to look at her face.

  


"Happy birthday babe," he said smiling. “It sure is nice to hear that sound again.”

  


"Oh…thanks…for this," Mel said awkwardly, nodding to the room. 

  


She noticed that there were also bouquets of irises - her favorite flower - decorating the table in shades of purple and blue, and all her favorite breakfast foods were waiting to be eaten. He had really gone all out. 

  


Her embarrassment was replaced with a warmth that spread out from her chest as her heart gave a little squeeze. She wanted to wrap herself around Dhayn and thank him in a much more personal way, but the rest of the room may not have appreciated it.

  


She smiled around the room at her extended family, feeling a little awkward at being the center of attention. She was met with warm smiles and nodding heads. Once she sat down the food was passed around and the room settled into its normal flow of conversation. Mel took the mug Dhayn offered her with a genuine smile and took a sip. She knew that flavor, he had even gotten her coffee from her favorite coffee shop in town.

  


"You are spoiling me," she said, reaching over to squeeze his hand.

  


"I love you, and I want you to be happy on your birthday," he replied, lifting their linked hands to place a kiss on her knuckles.

  


"Well I would have woken up in a better mood if I had been in _your_ room," she joked, piling some bacon and french toast on her plate and dousing them in syrup.

  


"I had the sign drying in there during the day and I had to get up early to make sure the doggen got everything in order before I made my quick trip into town once the sun was set." He looked a little worried, thinking she was actually still upset, so Mel reached under the table to lightly grip his thigh.

  


"Just messing with you," she gave him a wicked smile. "Besides, you can make it up to me tonight."

  


A spark of passion lit his mismatched eyes and Mel liked the promise his expression held for later. Her stomach chose that time to growl, so she laughed lightly and dug into her food. The others had all but faded from the room during their little conversation, which seemed to happen a lot when she was with Dhayn. She made a concerted effort to talk to the rest of them while she ate. Her parents were there, as well as Thrett, Stehlth, Huhnter and Ty. Tara's empty seat reminded Mel of what she was missing, but she quickly squashed down that train of thought and purposefully kept a smile on her face.

  


By the end of the meal her spirits were definitely lifted. Her mahmen gave her a stunning pair of ruby stud earrings just as she was getting up to leave. They were square cut and set in a simple white-gold setting. Mel was shocked that for once her mahmen had gotten her something she would actually wear. She hugged both of her parents in thanks and immediately put on the earrings, much to her mahmen's delight.

  


As Mel and Dhayn were making their way out of the dining room, Henry hustled up to her and held out a small, silver-wrapped box. "From miss Tehriffy." He gave her one of his gentle smiles and a slight bow before leaving.

  


Mel held the package for a moment, uncertain if she should wait until she was alone to open it. Every time Tara had been in the room lately Dhayn's mood had plummeted. She didn't want to upset him after all he had put into making her night special. As if he heard her inner struggle, Dhayn said, "I'll be back in a minute," and jogged up the large staircase, leaving her to open the gift in private. Mel tore away the foil wrapping and lifted the lid of the small box. A recorded message was waiting on a video-card and Mel held it up to watch. The tiny screen lit up under her fingertips and she pressed play.

  


"I'm sorry I can't be there for your birthday this year, believe it or not I got into a fight with Thrett about postponing the mission so I could see you, but as usual he got his way." Tara rolled her eyes and Mel smiled, imagining that argument all too well. "Anyway, I was thinking about what to get you this year and then I remembered something we always planned to do once we were through our transitions.” The little Tara on the screen held the camera out from herself and turned her head around to expose the back of her neck. There on her pale skin was a beautiful black swirling symbol that Mel recognized immediately - she had designed it after-all. It was an embellished Old Language symbol for eternal, that they had planned to get as matching tattoos. Mel didn’t know whether to be touched, or offended that Tara had gone without her. Tara turned back to the screen.

  


“This one’s not permanent.” Tara said. Mel smiled in relief. “I put one in the box for you too so you can give the idea a test run. If you don’t want to do it anymore that’s totally fine, or we can get something else...whatever you want, it’s your birthday gift.” Tara gave a nervous smile. “So...happy birthday. I love you. See you soon." The picture froze on Tara blowing Mel a kiss.

  


Mel held the video-card in one hand and looked into the little box again to find a clear piece of film with the same design printed on it. Happiness bubbled up in her chest. Things were finally getting back to normal with her and Tara, now if only Dhayn could figure out a way to adjust to the way things were. Couldn't he see that they were better off as friends than nothing at all? She pictured the three of them hanging out again like they used to, before their hormones got involved. It brought a smile to her face. Yes, he would see it, he just needed time. She returned the video-card back to the box just as Dhayn joined her in the hall. 

  


“Are you ready to go out?” he asked, clearly happy with her mood.

  


“Where are we going?” Mel asked. “Do I need to change?”

  


“Nope, I’ve got it covered,” Dhayn said with a grin. He held out her purse for her to take. 

  


She didn’t remember bringing it downstairs - that must have been what he ran off to get. She slipped the small box into her purse, and followed him out through the vestibule. His shiny black sports car was waiting at the base of the steps. A doggen came around to open her door for her and she climbed in quickly. Dhayn joined her immediately and she was torn between wanting to go along with his surprise and wanting to find out where he was talking her. She decided to keep her mouth shut, but she was full of nervous anticipation as he sped down the dark streets toward the city.

  


…......

  


Dhayn pulled into the parking lot nearest to the venue and hurried to find a space. He didn’t really have to rush, but his excitement made him antsy. He had debated whether or not to call off his plans for the night when everything had gone down with Lucian, but in the end it seemed a better idea to try and cheer Mel up than spend another night watching her brood and try to take out her anger on the punching bags down in the gym. 

  


“So what are we doing?” Mel asked again, taking his hand as he helped her out of the car.

  


“Just two more minutes and you’ll find out,” Dhayn responded with a smile. He was tempted just to tell her everything when she stuck out her lip in an adorable pout, but he knew how much she loved surprises - and he had a night full of them.

  


They walked down the side walk with a large group of strangers, many of them were probably heading to the same place they were. The street was alive with activity. It was the first warm weekend of the spring and everyone was out to enjoy the passing of winter for good. They stopped in front of the concert venue and took a place in the fast-moving line toward the doors. Dhayn watched Mel’s face as it lit up with understanding. He could tell when she spotted the poster for the feature band - her eyes rounded and her face split into a huge grin.

  


“They’re playing tonight?” Mel asked, excitement leaking into her voice.

  


“Yep,” Dhayn said, handing their tickets to the usher blocking the doorway. He had been so excited to see Mel’s favorite band pop up on his upcoming events calendar a month ago that he had bought the tickets right away. When the date registered in his mind he thanked the Virgin for his luck. “It was meant to be.” He smiled at her and led the way to their seats in the second row.

  


“This is so awesome D, thank you so much!” She flung her arms around him and planted an enthusiastic kiss on his lips. He had to pull her away gently before his other instincts kicked in. She smiled up at him and he was glad to see the anger gone from behind her eyes.

  


They got wristbands allowing them access to the standing room in front of the stage and before long they were surrounded by bodies swaying to the music of the opening band - one they didn’t know, but who turned out to be pretty decent. Dhayn could practically see Mel’s happiness swell as her favorite band took the stage and started with one of their new songs. He spent half of the time watching his female instead of the band and it was the best concert he’d ever been to.

  


As they climbed into his car three hours later, Dhayn could feel the energy vibrating off of Mel. She clutched her new band T-shirt in her delicate - but deadly - hands and smiled from ear to ear. 

  


"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said, turning to face him in her seat.

  


Dhayn let out a laugh. "Your welcome, I'm glad you had fun."

  


"So much fun, and that unplugged number at the end! Tara is going to be so jealous," Mel cut herself off and bit her bottom lip. He could see she was more concerned about his reaction than anything, and that made him want to punch himself.

  


Dhayn figured they had to talk about Tara at some point, he had even planned to bring it up later in the night, but he realized then that he shouldn't put it off any longer.

  


"I'm happy for her you know?" he said, switching the car over to auto-pilot so that she could have his undivided attention. Mel was watching him silently, waiting to see where he was taking the conversation.

  


"I was hurt at first, and sure my pride took a beating, but mostly I was just afraid that she had left me - us - because she thought we'd be happier, or better off without her. I couldn't let her do the whole self-sacrifice thing." Dhayn paused, watching Mel's face for her reaction. She nodded in understanding, a crease forming between her brows, but she kept her thoughts to herself. 

  


"And that might have been why she did it to begin with, in fact I'm pretty damn 

sure it was, but she's happy now." Dhayn ran his hand through his hair, preparing himself for what he had to say next. "I know Tara almost as well as I know you, and I can tell that she's in love with that asshole. I might be a selfish bastard sometimes but I would never deny her that. So, I have to let her go."

  


"But that doesn't mean we have to cut her out of our lives," Mel said softly. "We were best friends for ten times as long as we were lovers, can you just _try_ to be a friend to her again?"

  


"I will try," Dhayn promised, looking her in the eye. "To be honest, it's the thought of being in the same room as Tru for any length of time that has me worried. I hate that guy."

  


Mel laughed and smacked his arm lightly. "Give the male a chance, there's obviously something redeeming about him if our Tara has fallen for him," she paused and tapped her full bottom lip, "although, hell if I know what it is." She laughed again, and this time Dhayn joined her. It was like a heavy weight had been lifted from his heart. 

  


"I love you," he said, reaching across to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. A passing street lamp glinted off of her new earring like a little red spark. Her breath hitched and he watched as she slowly licked her bottom lip.

  


"I love you too," she whispered. The heat in her bronze eyes made his sex drive kick into gear full force. He could feel himself hardening under her unwavering stare.

  


The car started to slow, pulling Dhayn's attention reluctantly back to their surroundings. They had arrived at Mel's favorite diner - a twenty-four hour place with retro booths and apple pie to die for. He was starting to second guess his plans, but then he heard her stomach grumble and his resolve snapped into place.

  


"First, we eat." Dhayn took over the controls to park the car and turn it off. "Then I will leave it up to you whether we go to the next stop on your birthday road trip, or just skip straight to the end."

  


.........

  


Mel was very pleasantly full as they exited the small diner and strolled across the parking lot to Dhayn's car. She could still taste the sweet flavor of apples on her tongue, and didn't regret her second piece of pie one bit.

  


Dhayn held the car door open for her as she climbed into her seat. She settled herself in while he crossed to the other side and joined her in the dark cab of the car.

  


"So what is your decision?" he asked, turning on the vehicle. It rumbled to life and the red lights on the display came on, filling the small space with a sultry glow. Dhayn's strong jaw and straight nose were highlighted perfectly, and Mel reached out instinctively to caress his face. Dhayn chuckled.

  


"What?" Mel asked. "Oh, right," she paused to gather her thoughts. She was supposed to be making up her mind. 

  


In the diner, distracted by her food, she had allowed her lust to take a back seat and her curiosity had returned. But now, in this tight space, with his eyes holding hers and the line of his lips curling up slightly - begging to be kissed - she just wanted to rip off her clothes and throw herself at him. Her body began to tingle at the thought.

  


"Hmm, how about this," Dhayn said, his gravelly voice sending shivers up her spine. 

  


In a swift move he punched something into the console and her seat fell back flat - eliciting a small yelp from her as she went with it. Dhayn's big hand slid beneath her head and suddenly his lips were on hers, soft but relentless. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue slipped between her lips to tangle with her own. Mel could feel the pressure building in her core and pressed her thighs together as her body started to quake with need. Just when she was ready to beg to be touched, she felt Dhayn's other hand skimming lightly along the hem of her skirt. She had never been more grateful with a wardrobe choice than she was at that moment. His hand slipped effortlessly beneath her skirt and pulled her panties aside. She broke their kiss with a gasp as his fingers probed her entrance.

  


"Oh sweet Virgin you're ready," he growled against her neck. She could feel his fangs gliding teasingly over her throat and she bucked her hips against him, forcing a finger to slide an inch inside of her.

  


"Please," she begged, trying to move against him.

  


She didn't have to ask him twice. A second finger joined the first as he began to slowly penetrate her, his thumb reaching up to circle her sensitive clit. She clenched around him and gasped for breath as her orgasm erupted from out of nowhere. Her body came alive with sensation, vibrating out from where he continued to massage her pulsing core. As she came down from the high she was expecting to feel satiated, but her aching fangs told her otherwise. He withdrew his fingers and rested his hand on her knee.

  


"More," she said in a husky voice, surprising herself.

  


Dhayn inhaled slowly against her neck sending delightful shivers down her spine. He pulled back and his glowing blue and green stare made her breath catch in her throat. She could tell that he was barely holding on to his composure, and her inner temptress warmed with pride. He wanted her just as badly, if not more than she wanted him. The way his body tensed and coiled, trying to keep those mere inches between them, made her feel more powerful than a sword in her hand ever could. _Mine._

  


"Give me twenty minutes and you can have as much as you want for as long as you want it," he said just above a whisper. The promise made her hunger rage inside, but something caught her attention and cleared some of the fog from her lust-driven mind.

  


"Where are we going?" she asked. "We aren't that far from home."

  


"We aren't going home. That's your last present. I arranged for a days stay at a cabin not far from the city. It's safe and on a private lake." He watched for her reaction so she pushed aside her curiosity and smiled. He punched something else into the console and the car took off toward their destination.

  


"What did I do to deserve all of this?" she asked, reaching up to rest a hand on his cheek.

  


"You didn't have to do anything. I wanted a day for just the two of us. No doggen, family, friends or enemies - just...us." Dhayn smiled back at her and her heart swelled in her chest.

  


She knew how much of a pain in the ass she had been those last few days, and all the while he had not only been there to support her, but he had been planning the perfect birthday to cheer her up. She was so overwhelmed with emotions that she could feel tears starting to sting her eyes. He brushed a hand through her hair tenderly and she tried to to think of what to say or do to show him how much this all meant to her - how much _he_ meant to her. 

  


"Lean back," she demanded, realizing exactly what she wanted to do. 

  


He hesitated a moment before reclining his seat. Mel reached across the center console and deftly unfastened his pants. Dhayn jerked in surprise, but relaxed immediately as she freed his erection and began a slow stroking motion. His head fell back against his seat as she took his heavy sack in her other hand, massaging it gently. Her sheath clenched as she stretched across the distance between them and took the fat head of his cock into her mouth. She teased a bead of moisture from the tip with her tongue before taking him slowly into her throat. His shaft was soft as silk and hard as iron as she worked up a rhythm that had him panting and gripping the seat beneath him. Mel increased her suction and squeezed his tightening sack, bringing him over the edge with her name on his lips.

  


Dhayn looked about ready to pounce on her when the car started to slow. They had successfully passed their twenty minutes it seemed. Mel looked out into the dark until she spotted the little secluded cabin. A whole day without distractions. It seemed too good to be true, but she knew exactly how she wanted to spend it. _Sleep? Who needs sleep?_ She smiled to herself. _Time to open my last present._


	29. Chapter 29

 

 

Tara held her hand out to allow Tru to help her step down from the passenger side of his truck. Her black stilettos made an echoing clack on the paved drive but she held steady, comfortable and confident in her knee-length teal dress. She was dressed a little on the conservative side tonight, with capped sleeves and an A-line silhouette. Her hair was pulled back into a sophisticated chignon. Tru had insisted that she didn’t need to worry about what she wore to meet his parents, but Tara couldn’t help but dress the part.

She breathed in the sweet fragrance of the night-blooming flowers along the walkway to the front entrance as they approached the house. The large white colonial house was silver-blue in the moonlight, dominating the clearing at the end of a long drive surrounded by cedars. It seemed too big for only two people, but then again Tru’s parents weren’t your average couple—they were from Old-money, and his sire was a very successful business man in his own right. 

 Bharron and Lydia were very prominent members of the glymera and their wealth rivalled that of royalty. Tara had found their status a little intimidating before she knew Tru, and she would be lying to herself if she thought it didn’t matter now, but after some of the stories that he had told her about his sire, her perspective was a little different.

A beautiful young vampire opened the door before Tru’s hand had reached the handle. She was dressed in a short black dress and five inch heals. Her long blond hair hung in a golden curtain framing her heavily made-up face. Tara furrowed her brow in confusion. Tru hadn’t mentioned any other sisters.

“Welcome home Intrudehr,” the petite female bowed her head slightly with a coy smile. She spared a brief glance toward Tara and raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow before returning her focus back to Tru. Tara bristled under her scrutiny. _Who is this female?_ Her mental shields had been firmly in place, but she probed the female carefully and was met by lust and hunger in equal measure. Her feelings were mirrored in her cobalt eyes. The hairs on the back of Tara’s neck stood on end.

“Saysha,” Tru nodded back. His shoulders tense and his face closed off. “This is Tehriffy,” he said, wrapping a possessive arm around Tara’s shoulders. She relaxed into him, sliding her own arm around his waist. The female stiffened visibly. “Saysha works for Bharron,” he explained.

“Nothing would get done around here without her,” a tall male said, stepping up behind Saysha in the doorway. His voice was low and raspy, a crackling fire on a cold night. He had a severe face, all angles and hard lines, and his close-cropped dark hair did nothing to soften his appearance. Tara struggled to find any resemblance to Tru, but found none. The tailored charcoal suit he wore looked like it cost as much as Tara’s bike. _A little overkill for a dinner with the family_ , Tara thought, not impressed at all by the male’s posturing.

Her shields still open, Tara caught a fleeting impression of what exactly Saysha had _gotten done_ earlier while Lydia was out, and her opinion of the older male plummeted impossibly lower. If she wasn’t there on orders from her sire—and commander, she would have made up an excuse and high-tailed it out of there. The mere feel of Bharron on her senses was an oily residue that threatened to cling to her mind and make her sick. So much lust, pride and contempt, all wrapped up in layers of hate and aggression. Tara slammed her shields back into place as bile rose up in her throat.

“Well don’t just stand there Intrudehr, introduce me to your _female_ ,” Bharron demanded.

“I am Tehrrify, daughter of Thrett,” Tara said, emphasizing her sire’s name, all pretence of civility absent from her tone. Bharron’s slate-grey eyes grew hard and his lips pulled down into a frown. Tru squeezed her shoulder and Tara opened her mind to him instinctually. 

 _Calm down, we are here for information remember?_ Tru urged her silently.

“Tara, this is my sire, Bharron,” he said aloud.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you sir,” Tara said sweetly, her long-practiced pageantry sliding into place easily. A warm smile and perfected sparkle in her eyes. She wore that mask at every glymera event she had attended since she was a youngling. She projected calm and a touch of intrigue toward the older male and watched in triumph as his demeanour changed.

“Welcome to our home,” he said, stepping to the side and ushering them in. “Lydia is just putting the finishing touches on her outfit. I’ll inform her of your arrival.” Bharron swept up the carpeted grand staircase with a lethal grace Tara was familiar with but didn’t expect of the wealthy male—perhaps Tru gets that from his sire.

“Can I take your coat?” Saysha asked, circling Tru and sliding his sport coat down his arms as he shrugged it off.

Tara wanted to slap the flirtatious smile right off her face. 

“Don’t worry about Sash, she’s harmless,” Tru whispered into her ear as the petite female glided down the hall like a panther on the hunt. Tara started, she must have been projecting her feelings _._ “You look like you are ready to rip out her throat,” he chuckled, kissing her temple with a broad smile. “I think I like jealous Tara.”

“It’s not funny,” Tara objected.

“Oh come on princess,” Tru lifted her chin to capture her eyes with his—amber flecks dancing in the warm brown. “You are the only female I want in my bed,” he whispered hotly, and Tara could feel the tendrils of his power wrapping around her, testing her shields.

“You better put that away or that kitty might try something and I’ll have to declaw her,” Tara threatened.

“She knows I’m not interested,” Tru insisted.

Something about his expression made Tara cringe.

“You’ve slept with her,” Tara accused, planting her palm against his chest.

“She has worked for Bharron since I was eighteen.” Tru cupped her face gently with both hands and forced her to hold his golden brown gaze. “After my transition, before I knew how to control myself _,_ I did a lot of stupid things…she was one of them.” His coy smile melted her anger, but she couldn’t quite suppress the jealousy stirring within her.

“Did you have feelings for her?” Tara regretted the words as soon as they left her lips. She wasn’t usually the jealous type, but the way that female thought about Tru made her want to hit something—or someone.

“Not even for a second,” Tru said, without missing a beat. He kept his emotions bared so that she could feel his sincerity. Tara breathed a silent sigh of relief and something inside of her relaxed. “That answers my question though,” Tru tacked on with a shy grin.

“What question?” Tara pinned him down with her gaze.

“I didn’t know if you…well after your relationship with Dhaynger and Mel I just…” Tru struggled with his words.

“Spit it out.” Tara put her hands firmly on her hips. She had no idea where he was going with this.

“I thought maybe you preferred to…share?” Tru finally said with a shrug. 

Tara could feel the awkward tension rolling off of him and butting up against her shields like an itch she needed to scratch—then his words sunk in. She had never considered sharing Tru with anyone else. Her relationship with her two best friends was different—she trusted them with each other as much as she trusted them with her. She couldn’t see herself sharing her heart, or her bed with anyone but those three. A sudden image of the four of them together flitted into her mind. Tara suppressed a sensual shiver as she quickly pushed that thought out of her mind. She laughed to cover up her hesitation.

“I’m not passing out invites to our bed any time soon Tru.” Tara shoved his arm and started down the hall after Saysha. Tru seemed to relax behind her. The disappointment that slid in and out of her mind made her uneasy, so she tucked it away to consider later.

The sitting room Saysha led them to was spacious and elegant. It was dominated by a five piece seating area with modern suede furniture in deep brown, and a large glass and brushed copper coffee table laid out with an assortment of cheeses and fruits. Saysha sat down in one of the two love seats and crossed her long legs at the knee—her dress slipping higher up on her thigh as she did so. Tara caught the inviting look she threw Tru’s way and her focus zeroed in on the females thoughts. She was reliving one of their sexual encounters and was wondering how long it would take Tru to realized that she wasn’t wearing anything under her dress. Tara felt her hatred for the female simmering ever hotter as words pooled like venom behind her lips. Tara turned toward Tru as one word dominated her mind— _mine_. She claimed his mouth with her own before she realized what her intent was, and her fangs slid into the tender flesh of his full lower lip almost instantly. Tru moaned into her mouth as she began to gently suck, his rich blood  sparking a frenzy of lust in her that she hadn’t planned. He almost stumbled when she pulled back from him, using her tongue to spread a few drops of his blood over lips. Saysha glared at Tara as the two of them took their seats on the larger three-seater, but before their silent battle could continue Bharron entered the room with a surprise guest.

.........

 

Tara didn’t have to fake her surprise, but she did have to manufacture some enthusiasm. Lucian smiled at them from his seat across the large mahogany dining table. So much for asking Bharron about his new head of security. Tara tried her best to keep up a conversation with Tru’s mahmen while simultaneously blocking out Saysha’s malice, and testing Lucian’s mental awareness. He didn’t seem to notice when she probed at his mind. When Bharron interrupted Lydia with a question Tara didn’t hear, she took advantage of the distraction to claim Lucian’s attention. 

“So, what else do you do besides security, Lucian?” Tara asked, slipping into his mind like a warm knife through butter. 

“I train other males,” he said. A memory of combat drills with newly-transitioned males took over his thoughts.

“Train them how?” Tara pretended ignorance.

“To protect themselves, and to protect others.” … _and to lie, torture and kill,_ he finished in his mind. 

Tara had to take a bite of her steak to cover her disgust at the images he was broadcasting. They practiced on humans. 

“So kind of like what the Brother’s do?”

Lucian let out a short bitter laugh. “I am nothing like the Brothers.” 

“Didn’t they train you?” Tara pushed.

“I owe them nothing,” he growled. His suspicion was beginning to rise along with his anger. Tara urged calm into his mind and switched tactics.

“I’d love to see you in action sometime,” she said, forcing a healthy dose of interest to back up her words. “You must be quite the fighter.” 

“I could teach you a thing or two,” Lucian replied, lowering his voice to a sultry drawl.

Tru stiffened at her side and she felt as much as heard the room go silent. Perhaps she should have chosen her words little more carefully. She had been giving him what he wanted to hear, but Tara had forgotten about their audience. Tara slipped her hand into Tru’s beneath the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Tru has taught me all I need to know,” Tara said with a sly smile. “He’s going to be a Brother someday, I’m sure of it.”

Anger and bitterness saturated the room at her words. Tara was expecting the flood of emotion from Lucian, but she hadn’t anticipated the aggression from Bharron. Tara chanced a look into his mind.

 _They’ll never let him in, and when he’s rejected by this pretty little piece of ass he’ll finally join us._ Bharron looked over Tara like fresh meat. _Or maybe she’ll be our ticket to the inside._

Tara worked to maintain her composure as his words sunk in. _Bharron didn’t just employ a member of the resistance—he was a part of it. Did Tru know?_ Tara looked at her male out of the corner of her eye as she took a sip of her wine. _No, he couldn’t know. He would have said something…_

“Did you know that I went through training with your sire Tehrrify?” Bharron asked, recapturing her attention.

“Was he your trainer?” Tara asked, confused by the direction he was taking. Bharron laughed.

“No child, he was in training with me.”

Tara calculated the years and figured that made sense. She didn’t know why her sire hadn’t told her that before coming here tonight.

“Were you partnered together also?” she asked.

“No, he was paired with Krym—his second in command if I’m not mistaken?” Bharron waited for her nod. Tara slipped back into his mind to see what direction he was taking with this. He seemed to be testing her knowledge. He was pleased that she was genuinely surprised by his past.

“I never asked Intrudehr, who is your partner?” Bharron focused on his son.

“Dhaynger, son of Krush,” Tru lied without skipping a beat. As far as anyone outside of the Brotherhood was concerned, Tara and Mel had stopped training after their transitions and were only courting the two males. Bharron seemed to bristle under his carefully controlled facade.

“I was paired with his sire,” Bharron said in a steely voice Tara had yet to hear from the male. “He was supposed to nominate me once he was accepted into the Brotherhood.”

“Then what happened?” Saysha asked eagerly, her eyes focusing on her employer for the first time since they sat down.

“He didn’t,” Bharron cut out, clenching his hands into tight fists. His mind was awash with hatred and anger—an ancient wound that had never healed, ripped open at the mention of his former partner.

“Maybe he did,” Tara said, without thinking. She felt obligated to stick up for Dhayn’s sire in his absence. 

The look Bharron gave her sent a cold fear skittering down her throat. His malice was like a thick fog she could barely see through. She fought to keep her mind clear—not wanting to put up her shields, incase she’d miss something important.

“No, he didn’t,” Bharron said with a deadly calm. “If he had kept his word I would be a Brother right now,” … _and he would still be alive_ , he finished silently.

 A clear image—though dark and filtered through rage—formed briefly in Bharron’s unshielded mind. _A thunderstorm in the darkest of night. His arms, along with a few others, pushing a tree until its breaking point. A car coming down the road. That same tree crashing down on the windshield. Guilt mixed with righteous indignation as he looked over his conquered enemy— a bloodstained face that looked so familiar…_

Tara gasped, and quickly covered the noise with a series of coughs. She took another sip of her wine and motioned to Tru that she was alright. She had always heard that Dhayn resembled his sire, but she had never seen him before. Her stomach turned over in disgust and fierce anger for her friend and lover. They had believed his parents deaths were an accident all these years. The rage that took over her was harsh and vibrant, blocking out everything and everyone else in the room. Pain shot through her hand, catching her attention. Tru was squeezing her hand beneath the table so hard that she could feel her bones grinding together. She pulled it free from his grasp and looked at him in question. It was then that she felt his familiar presence against her mental shields—she hadn’t even realized that she reformed them. She opened herself up to him and his mental shouting made her cringe. 

 _Stop projecting Tara! You are going to start a fight we can’t win! Tara! Tara!_ Tru pleaded. His own anger mixed in with a healthy dose of fear.

She looked around the room and was met by four sets of furious eyes. She instinctively sent out a wave of calm over the room, and watched as the rest of the dinner party relaxed in their seats. Lucian shook his head, as if to dislodge his confusion, but Bharron narrowed his eyes at her and the back of her neck pricked as he slid slowly into mistrust. Thinking fast she fed Bharron’s anger again, focusing on his hatred of the Brotherhood. She kept his anger at a manageable level, just enough to distract Bharron’s thoughts.

“I’m sorry sir,” Tara soothed. “I guess I really don’t know all that much about the Brotherhood.” A lie. “They showed me how to fight, but my sire never entrusted me with much else.” Another lie. 

Bharron scrutinized her with a critical eye. She could hear his silent scoffing, but kept a pleasant smile plastered on her face.

“Why would a female like you need to learn to fight?”

Tara bristled but remained calm.

“I didn’t want to end up like Krym’s daughter Phyrie,” Tara looked down at her lap with a sad frown, her mind reaching out for Lucian’s reaction. His thoughts not only confirmed his guilt, but had Tara clamping down tight on her emotions. These males were going to pay for what they’ve done.

“Alright, who wants some dessert,” Lydia interrupted with an overly cheerful voice. Tara caught her desperation and suddenly felt bad for the female. She was thinking that this dinner was going terribly and that she wasn’t going to get another chance with her son. 

“I would love some Lydia,” Tara said with an encouraging smile. She sent a wave of peace into her mind and Lydia’s shoulders relaxed immediately.

A chiming noise sounded from another room, and Bharron rose from his seat. He excused himself and left the room. Lucian had already dismissed his brief trip down memory lane and was focused on Saysha’s neckline. Tru got up to help his mahmen bring in the dessert she had prepared, and Saysha had resigned to the possibility of a threesome with Tara. Tara rolled her eyes at the female’s gall—as if she would ever let her anywhere near Tru again. Tara finished the last of her wine as she tried desperately to think of how she was going to get through dessert, and after that how she was going tell Tru that his sire was a traitor.

.........

 

Tru pulled into the underground parking lot of his loft, the silence in the cab of the truck as deafening as a thousand drums. Tara hadn’t spoken a word on the way home and with each passing minute his worry multiplied. Whatever she had heard when they were at his parents house was bad, really bad. He didn’t want to push her, both to give her some space, and to delay the inevitable. He guessed that a little part of him always suspected his sire was involved with the rebellion somehow, but how do you accuse your own blood of treason? His thoughts strayed to his mahmen—her carefully put together facade had slipped when he saw the bruises under her shirt sleeve. She had begged him not to intervene—not to accuse his father. He could never quite silence that small part of himself that wanted to believe his sire was a better man, so Tru gave his word to let it pass for the evening. Of course, he couldn’t let it go completely—not when his mahmen’s safety was at stake. Whether the evidence Tara gained incriminated Bharron or not, he was going to find out what was really going on in that house. Those conflicting emotions were part of what drove him away in the first place, but he shouldn’t have left her alone with him.

The elevator ride up was filled with a quiet building of tension, the chiming of the doors ringing loudly in contrast as they reached their floor. Tru unlocked the door to the loft and held the door open for Tara to walk through. After securing the lock behind him, he approached the brooding female staring out over the city and placed his hands on her shoulders—massaging firm circles into her tense muscles. Tru felt the now familiar heat simmer up to the surface and he let a little of it seep through his hands and bleed into her skin. The small release only fed the flame inside of him and soon his hunger for Tara was battling for dominance against his worries. He broke the contact to regain his thoughts.

“Don’t stop,” Tara implored, turning to face him with tear-filled eyes. His heart gave a painful throb in his chest. What was torturing her?

“I’m going to make your worries disappear princess, but first you need to tell me what they are,” he answered, caressing her cheek with his palm. 

“Dhayn’s sire…” she whispered, her eyes downcast.

“Yeah, Bharron blames him for everything. That’s why I hated him so much when we started training,” Tru explained.

“No, he killed him,” Tara said softly, peering up into his eyes. “Bharron and his friends killed Dhayn’s parents and made it look like an accident.”

“What?” Tru staggered back like she had hit him. A sick feeling of dread settled in his gut—there was no redeeming this. If his sire had truly killed a Brother they would execute him, and surely any hopes Tru had of becoming a Brother himself were crushed beneath the weight of Bharron’s trespasses against them. 

“He’s part of the resistance Tru, I think he might even be their leader,” Tara continued. “Sweet Virgin in the Fade, what are we going to do?” Her voice broke as the tears finally began to fall.

“We have to tell Thrett,” Tru said. His voice slipping out in a detached monotone as the world he had worked so hard to build began to slowly fall apart around him. “Do you think my mahmen is involved?” 

“No, from what I could see, she has an idea of what he’s been up to, but she is terrified of him.” Tara placed a hand on his chin and turned his face to look into his eyes. “Everything is going to be okay Tru. I love you, and we are going to get through this—together.”

The determination he saw in her open gaze brought him back to himself. He didn’t need to be a Brother, or a Warrior, he didn’t need his inheritance, hell he didn’t even need his name—so long as he had this female in his life, nothing else mattered. Suddenly the thought of losing her, of not knowing she would be beside him through all of this—it was unbearable. 

“Will you be my shellan, princess?” Tru asked, dropping to his knees on the floor in front of her.

Tara gasped in surprise, her eyes wide as saucers. “I…” she started, but he reached up to put a finger to her lips.

“I know this is horrible timing, and you deserve so much better than this—than me—but I need you, princess. You are the only thing that matters to me, and I know that you love me as much as I love you. Mate me, let me wear your name with pride for the rest of my life.”

She was silent for a moment, and Tru could almost feel her inside of his head, searching out his mind—for what, he didn’t know. Those few seconds felt like hours as he waited for her answer, until finally she dropped down to the floor in front of him and kissed him. Her lips were gentle and left his far too quickly.

“Yes,” she said, finally.

“Even if they strip me of my title, my name, and my position?” Tru asked. He needed to be sure she knew what she was getting into.

“My sire would never let that happen,” Tara assured him.

“If he did?” he pressed.

“None of that has ever mattered to me, Tru.” Tara smiled and her eyes lit up from within.

Tru reached out and pulled her into his chest, threading his fingers into her carefully styled hair to bring her lips to his. He devoured her, delving into her mouth with his tongue and drinking in her moans of pleasure as she took everything he had to give.

Tara’s deft fingers had his hard shaft released from his pants before he even knew what was happening. He slipped his free hand under her little teal dress and tore away her panties in one swift move. She climbed onto his lap and slowly sank down on his cock, inch by glorious inch—never breaking contact with his lips as they continued to meld with hers. The fire that he kept tapped deep inside of himself burst forth in a blazing inferno. Tara cried out in release as his molten desire rippled over his skin and cascaded over and through her. He smelled the rich dark musk of his bonding scent enveloping them both as he began to thrust up into her pulsing sheath. She gripped him with every stroke and he fought with everything he had to hold on, to make it last. His fangs throbbed with his need to claim her and as he ran his tongue over her fully unsheathed fangs, his control snapped. He broke their kiss and urged her head to the side, exposing the soft milky flesh of her elegant neck. His fangs slid into her vein effortlessly as he thrust once more and let go—releasing his seed into her depths as he drew her rich lifeblood into his mouth. Tara screamed his name as another climax claimed her. He shuddered in bliss at the sting of her fangs as she claimed him in return. His cock surged to life before his first orgasm had fully subsided and he lost all control—growling into her neck as a second, more powerful release rushed through him in a electrifying wave. 

Keeping her wrapped in his arms, Tru got up from the floor and took her to their bed. There may be a ceremony to mark him as her mate, but as far as Tru was concerned she already owned him; body, heart, and soul.


	30. Chapter 30

 

Mel was standing in Thrett’s crowded office, trying to hide her irritation, and pay attention to the story Ty and Huhnter were telling her. Her eyes, however kept drifting to where Tara sat with Tru in front of the Commander’s desk. Mel didn’t know why Tara was avoiding her, but she was going to find out one way or another—just as soon as this meeting was over. Tara hadn’t answered any of Mel’s texts or calls since last night, and when she came into the room a few moments earlier, she had only given Mel a polite nod from the door. 

She tried, again to catch the female’s eyes from across the room, but Tru and Tara were locked in a serious, silent exchange that Mel knew better than to interrupt. Watching the two of them argue without saying a single word out loud was a little unnerving, but Mel was amazed all over again at Tara’s talents. The guys stopped trying to talk to her, and started up their own conversation. Mel felt a little bad for ignoring them.

Dhayn, the other reason for Mel’s anxiousness, finally arrived in Thrett’s office with Stehlth right behind him. Dhayn’s whole body was ridged with tension, and he looked ready to kill someone. Whatever his uncle had pulled him outside to tell him was eating him up inside. He glared at Tru, until Stehlth stepped in his line of vision, and nodded in Mel’s direction. Dhayn visibly relaxed when he met her eyes, and made his way across the room to stand next to her. He pulled her into his side and kissed the top of her head.

Mel pulled back slightly to question him with her eyes. Dhayn pursed his lips and nodded toward their Commander. Mel frowned and huffed a breath in frustration, wishing in that moment that she had Tara’s abilities, and could pluck the answers from the minds around her. Instead, she began to listen to the mummers she had been blocking out. 

Now that the Brothers were all present, the crowded space was practically buzzing with restless anticipation. Hushed conversations about the rebellion, and Lucian drifted around the room as they waited for Thrett to tell them why they were all there. Whatever happened last night at Bharron’s house must have been big to warrant the tension building in the room.

 Thrett ended the private call he had been making since they arrived, and motioned for the room to be quiet. Silence descended immediately. He remained seated but pushed back from his large desk. His eyes fixed on Tara with a look of seriousness that made the hairs on the back of Mel’s neck stand on end. She fidgeted with the hem of her ribbed black tank and glanced back and forth between her Commander and her best friend like she was watching a tennis match.

“I’ve received orders from the King. Our plans have changed,” Thrett said calmly, shifting his attention toward Tru.

“I will do whatever you ask of me Sir,” Tru responded immediately, his shoulders tense, and his jaw clenched.

“You have done more than enough Intrudehr,” Thrett replied.

“I am willing to do anything I can to redeem my name, and keep my place here as a Warrior.” Tru said, glancing briefly at Tara. 

“We will not fault you for your sire’s mistakes,” Thrett said sombrely.  

Mel was starting to put the pieces together, and Thrett’s next words confirmed what she was thinking.

“Bharron is the prime target now. He will be captured and questioned until we know all there is to know about his involvement with the rebellion,” Thrett paused and took a deep breath. “Then he will be executed for treason, and for his part in the murders of Krush and Evahlynne.”

“What?” Mel blurted out, looking to Dhayn for an explanation. His parents had died in a car accident, at least that is what he had always told her. 

“Bharron has been heavily involved in the resistance since before we knew it existed,” Stehlth offered from across the room. Mel noticed for the first time that he too looked angrier than usual.

“And he killed my parents,” Dhayn finished for him, his voice hushed in anger.

“Tru’s sire?” Mel asked, looking around the room, at everyone but Tru.

“Yes,” Tru replied. 

“The murders are the top of the iceberg, and we will find out just how big this thing is beneath the surface before the night is through,” Thrett declared.

“What about Lucian?” Mel asked, irritated that she seemed to be the only one out of the loop.

“He isn’t as important to our goal now that we know who’s in charge,” Thrett clarified. 

“Huhnter, Tyrahnt, Tru, Tara, Stehlth; we are going to bring in Bharron, with the help of some of the other Brothers being sent over by the King,” he said, looking to each of them in turn.

“What if Lucian runs?” Mel asked, suddenly annoyed. Sure, she was irked about being left out of the mission, but there was no way she was going to let her sister’s murderer escape, even if he was just a pawn.

“That is never going to happen,” Kryhm growled from his place to the left of Thrett’s desk. 

He was an imposing force in his black leather jacket and jeans, his brown hair and beard trimmed short to show of the hard edges of his firm jaw. Mel actually flinched when she met her sire’s deadly glare. She knew it wasn’t aimed at her, but if looks could kill…

“We’ve been tracking him. You, Dhaynger, and I are going after that worthless piece of shit, and we no longer have to bring him in alive,” Kryhm said, fury in his eyes. Mel smiled slowly in response. 

“I want to go after Bharron with you sir,” Dhayn said, surprising Mel.

“We discussed this already Dhayn,” Stehlth cut in. “You are too much of a risk. We need him alive.”

“I need to see him bleed,” Dhayn growled.

“And you will,” Thrett said, standing. “But not until after we have all the information we need from him.” 

Mel caught Tru’s flinch out of the corner of her eye, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. This must be really difficult for him. What would she have done if Kryhm was suddenly exposed as a traitor? A lump formed in her throat. Tru turned and caught her staring at him. He gave her a half-hearted smile—that looked more like a grimace—and stared down at his black shit-kickers.

“We’re leaving in thirty minutes,” Thrett said, focusing everyone’s attention. “Timing is key if we are going to catch both of them off guard.”

“Mehlisha, Dhaynger, gear up and meet me out front in twenty,” Kryhm said, pinning them both with a look that said “don’t question me.” Mel nodded, and saw Dhayn do the same. She followed her sire out of the office, noticing his rigid shoulders and clenched fists. In the hall she placed a hand on his shoulder and met his angry stare.

“Tonight we get justice,” she said, picturing Phyrie in her mind.

Kryhm only nodded and squeezed her shoulder in return. When Dhayn joined them, her sire stepped away and headed toward the stairs. 

“This is the first time he’ll see you fight,” Dhayn remarked, watching Kryhm’s back.

“First time I’ll see him in action too,” Mel realized aloud. Nervousness mixed with excitement at the thought. 

Mel headed to Dhayn’s room—now their room most days—and he followed close beside her. The large bed was still a mess from their hurried love-making at dusk, and the sight of it brought a flush to Mel’s skin. She forced herself to ignore the quickening of her pulse, and continue walking into the closet—where they kept their weapons. Once inside of the small space with Dhayn close behind her, she felt her body reacting of its own accord. Her core began to pulse in response to his nearness, an aching need stirring to life between her thighs. Her breath caught as his arm brushed hers, while reaching for his leather holster hanging next to hers. 

“Fifteen minutes isn’t nearly long enough for what I want to do to you babe,” Dhayn whispered huskily into her ear, nipping her lobe with an exposed fang. He ran a possessive hand over her belly, and teased the top of her tight black jeans. 

It was as if he had flicked off the switch to her self control. Mel turned abruptly and jumped him, wrapping her legs around his waist, and her hands behind his neck, until there wasn’t an inch between their bodies. Mel could feel the evidence of his arousal pressing against her where she was most sensitive. She slowly shifted her hips forward to increase the pressure—a low moan reverberating in her chest. She forced his lips to meet hers, and devoured his mouth in a lust-fuelled frenzy. He responded immediately, his soft lips gliding over hers with equal passion, and she couldn’t get enough of him. His tongue teased her lips, and she met it with her own, duelling for dominance. Her back was suddenly pressed against a wall, clattering hangers full of clothes tumbled around her, as Dhayn pinned her with his body. The hard ridge of his erection pressed firmly against her mound, making her inner walls clench in anticipation. He rocked his hips, applying just the right amount of pressure to make her squirm with need.

“I want to tie you up and make you come, until your begging me to stop,” Dhayn growled, his blue and green eyes darkened with a dominance that made Mel’s knees week. 

A sudden intake of breath from the doorway brought Mel’s attention abruptly to her right. Standing frozen in the entrance to the closet, her eyes wide, and her mouth slightly open, was Tara. Dhayn stiffened against Mel and she could feel his rapid heartbeat matching her own. The three of them hadn’t been alone together since before their break-up, and Mel was thrown off kilter by the need in Tara’s eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” Tara said, in a hushed voice. “The door wasn’t closed all the way…” Her eyes drifted down to where Dhayn’s hand firmly gripped Mel’s ass. 

_What the hell? I thought she didn’t want us anymore?_ Mel furrowed her brow in confusion.

“Wanting you was never the problem,” Tara answered aloud, reminding Mel that her thoughts were not always her own around her best friend. 

Tara shook her her head slightly and squared her shoulders. Mel could practically see the shields sliding into place in Tara’s mind—the heat leaving her eyes, and her jaw tightening ever so slightly. Reality surfaced in Mel’s lust-fogged mind, and her cheeks heated in embarrassment. She quickly disengaged herself from Dhayn—who was still as frozen as a statue—and ducked out from under his muscular frame. She noticed, for the first time, the two glass tubes in Tara’s hands. They held a shots-worth of an unmistakeable, rich, crimson-red liquid. Mel’s interest was piqued.

“What’s in the vials?” she asked, taking a couple of steps toward Tara.

“Blood,” Tara stated plainly.

“Who’s?” Mel prodded.

“Mine,” Tara replied shyly. Mel sucked in an involuntary breath, and heard Dhayn do the same. 

“Why are you bringing us your blood Tara?” Mel was a strange mix of confused and aroused, her amped up body pleading for the release it had been denied.

“I had a dream,” Tara explained, her hands tightening on the little vials. “You were both in trouble, but I couldn’t find you, I couldn’t stop…” Tara looked down as her face contorted with pain. 

Mel reached out to her, placing a hand on her cheek and lifting her face to meet her eyes—now misted with emotions that she kept at bay.

“It’s ok Tara, it was just a dream,” Mel soothed, smiling at her other half. 

Mel’s vision blurred, and then she was seeing darkness and trees—a forest full of blood and destruction. Her heart rate picked up as she found her own face among the broken bodies, a weeping Dhayn crouching over her lifeless form. A limping man approached from behind them both, and Mel screamed at Dhayn as the attacker lifted a gun. Dhayn didn’t respond, and his body collapsed on top of her own as the bullets punched through his neck and scull—releasing torrents of blood, that pooled beneath them as he sank to the dirt floor beside her. She gasped when Tara and the closet came back into view, and spun to make sure Dhayn was still behind her. Her hand grazed the vials, knocking one of them from Tara’s hand in the process. Dhayn hadn’t moved an inch. He continued to glare at the closet wall as if nothing had happened. Mel looked back at Tara, who was now crouched to pick up the small tube. The blood had seeped onto a discarded white shirt, reminding Mel all to clearly of the scene Tara had just shown her. Mel hadn’t realized just how gifted Tara had become.

“Is that going to happen?” Mel asked Tara, as she stood. “Are you seeing the future now too?”

“No. At least not that I know of.” Tara frowned and looked down at the empty vial. “I can’t stand the thought that it could. That someone I love might need me and I won’t be able to find them.” 

Tara looked up and pleaded with her eyes. Mel felt the tug in her heart that she always felt when she was with Tara. As their eyes met, their souls were connected. Mel understood what Tara needed, and she would give it to her, she would do anything for her. Mel took the full vial from Tara’s other hand and swallowed it in one shot. Warmth spread through her entire body at the once familiar taste. Tara smiled and brought Mel in for a tight hug. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, as she pulled away.

Mel watched as Tara looked between the empty vials, and the statue of a male that was ignoring them both. Tara sighed and lifted her wrist to her mouth, biting into her vein with a wince. She held one of the vials at the ready, but before she could collect a single drop, Dhayn was across the crowded space, and grabbing her wrist—stopping the flow with his thumb.

“Why?” he demanded.

“B-because I want to be able to find…” Tara started.

“No,” Dhayn cut in. “Why did you leave us Tara? What was the problem _?_ If you _love_ us, and _want_ us, then _why_?”

Now Mel was the frozen one. All three of them stood inches from each other, with the smell of blood and sex surrounding them, and she couldn’t move an inch. She barely breathed as she waited for Tara’s answer.

“Thrett was never going to let the three of us be together.” Tara took a deep breath, and let it out on a sigh. “You two didn’t deserve to suffer because of _my_ sire.”

Mel’s heart sank. Somehow, she had always known Tara had backed off to give Mel and Dhayn a shot, but it was easier to believe the lie, than live with the truth—that Tara didn’t leave because she had fallen out of love with them, she had loved them too much to stay.

“So now you’re suffering instead?” Dhayn pressed.

“No.” Tara closed her eyes and took a step back. “I am happy with Tru.”

“Do you still love me? Us?” Dhayn slid his hand into Mel’s, and she squeezed it gently to reassure him—and herself—that they were in this together.

“Yes,” Tara said, without hesitation. “But, I love him too. We’re going to be mated.” 

There was a loaded silence that seemed to last a lifetime, as Mel watched a myriad of emotions play across Dhayn’s face. Finally he released Tara and brought his own wrist to his lips. He ran his fingers over the back of Mel’s hand as he licked the line of blood that had trailed down his arm, and then sucked his thumb into his mouth. The fire in his eyes was unmistakeable, as were the dark spices wafting through the air, but he stepped away from Tara, and pulled Mel to his side. 

“I don’t know if that’s enough, but it’ll have to do. We have to go,” he said, surprising Mel, and reminding her that they were due to leave any minute.

“Thank you,” Tara whispered. She backed out of the closet and hurried to exit the room.


	31. Chapter 31

 

Dhayn was aroused, confused, and royally pissed as he jogged down the stairs to meet Kryhm. Mel had been silent ever since Tara left, but her furrowed brow told him that she was feeling the same way. What the hell was Tara thinking? They had just started to get their friendship back, and now this? She shouldn’t have asked them to drink her blood, to open doors they had been trying so hard to keep closed. Months of suppressing his feelings for her, and now the taste of her wouldn’t leave his mouth and her scent still lingered in every breath. He couldn’t even bury his achingly hard erection in Mel’s eager pussy—late for their meeting or not—because he knew he would be thinking of another female, and so would she, and that was so _fucked_ up. He scrubbed his face with his hands, while Mel opened the door to the vestibule. 

“Get your head in the game D, there’s no time for relationship bullshit when there’s a murderous fucker to hunt down and kill,” Mel said as they waited for the outer door to unlock.

The reminder of Phyrie’s killer helped to bring his scattered thoughts into focus. A good fight could always clear his mind. He had a job to do, a psychopath to obliterate, and then he could feed on _his_ female while he fucked every thought of Tara from both of their minds. His eyes raked over Mel’s lean body from head to toe as she passed through the door and out into the cool moonlit night. The leather jacket she wore to conceal her new spring-loaded katars hung open over a black ribbed tank, that cut low to show off her amazing breasts, and her tight black jeans hugged her perfect little ass like a second skin.

“Keep looking at me like that and my sire is going to kill you when he gets here,” Mel joked, shoving his shoulder.

Just then, a sleek chrome Audi R8 pulled up in the driveway and screeched to a stop in front of where Dhayn and Mel stood. The passenger window slid down and Kryhm leaned across to speak to them. Dhayn missed what the male said—too focused on drinking in the sight of such a sexy car. He was surprised that Mel’s sire drove such a wicked machine. It was totally something Dhayn would buy for himself. Mel jabbed him in the ribs to gain his attention, and he quickly focused on what Kryhm was saying.

“You can just follow me, that is, if you think you can keep up?” Kryhm said with a grin.

“Yes sir, I can,” Dhayn replied, swallowing the long list of smart ass comments filtering though his brain. He had to behave in front of Mel’s sire if he ever wanted to gain his approval.

“Good.” Kryhm nodded.

Seconds later, a doggen pulled Dhayn’s black Lambo to a stop behind the Audi—the matte black exterior with red LED accents looked like a menacing shadow behind the flashy chrome sportscar. Dhayn’s excitement returned as he walked around to the drivers side of his car and waited for the doggen to vacate his seat. He had owned the car for several months, but still got a little thrill each time he sat behind the wheel. 

As the doors slid back into place from above him, Dhayn switched the car into manual and waited for Mel to get herself buckled in. Kryhm flashed his break lights, and waited for Dhayn to signal with his high-beams before pealing away with a squeal. Dhayn stepped on his accelerator and felt his tires struggle for purchase, before launching them forward—the momentum pressing him back into his custom leather seats. 

“We’re headed north,” Mel said, pointing out the windshield, as the end of the long driveway came into view.

Dhayn appreciated the heads up, preparing for the hard left as Kryhm barely paused to turn, and launched himself up the road.

“Is he trying to lose us?” Dhayn asked, maneuvering the corner as quickly as possible, and racing to catch up with Kryhm.

“He’s been waiting just as long as I have for vengeance, and now nothing is standing in his way,” Mel said, a little forlorn. 

Dhayn had to keep his eyes on the chrome bumper in front of him to maintain a safe distance as they entered into a winding stretch of road, but he could hear the frown in her voice.

“You okay?” He asked, chancing a quick glance at her between turns.

“I’m torn,” she answered, cracking her knuckles one at a time. “My sire has more of a right than I do for making Lucian bleed, but I can’t help wishing it could be my fist that breaks his jaw.”

“That’s my girl, always the proper lady,” Dhayn joked. He knew as well as she did that it was Kryhm’s call in the field, and there was no way the male was going to let his daughter do his fighting for him. 

“Improper’s more like it,” Mel laughed.

Dhayn smiled as they hit a long stretch of road and he punched his accelerator to keep pace with the Audi—Kryhm sure knew how to drive. They had stuck to mainly side roads, and were passing through a forested area with driveways few and far between. The dense forest blurred to a black wall on either side of the narrow road.

“We should be getting…whoa!” Mel yelped as Dhayn drifted into a hard right, just making the turn that Kryhm had failed to signal for. 

They were now on what looked like a long driveway, sinking under the canopy of tall cedars. Kryhm flashed his breaks again before turning off his lights completely. Dhayn followed suit, switching his car into stealth mode, so that the red glow of the LED lights would disappear also.

“Where are we?” Dhayn whispered, feeling the need to be quiet, even in the confines of his soundproofed car. His body hummed with anticipation of the fight he knew was coming.

“Looks like Lucinda’s personal place,” Mel whispered back, peering out the windows.

There was a warm glow ahead where the trees began to thin, outlining the tall black trunks in gold. Dhayn followed Kryhm off to the side of the paved drive and shut off the engine. As soon as Dhayn could make out Kryhm’s silhouette emerging from his car, he nodded to Mel, and they hurried to join him at the edge of the trees.

“Thrett sent me an update on the way here. We’ve got one civilian working security at the gate, two rebel guards at the door, and our target in one of the upstairs bedrooms with Lucinda.”

“How do we know all that?” Mel asked, mirroring Dhyan’s thoughts.

“One of the doggen here is loyal to the king and has been feeding us information,” Kryhm explained. “They have called a meeting in the servants quarters to get the staff out of harms way. We are working under the assumption that any other armed guards we encounter are part of the rebellion.”

“And we know for sure that the source is good? We could be walking into a trap,” Mel said, fear brushing across her features before she hid it away. Whatever Tara had shown her must have been awful. Dhayn made a mental note to ask her about it after they’d completed their mission.

“Thrett interviewed the doggen himself,” Kryhm said in answer. No one doubted the Commander’s instincts, ever.

“Alright, what’s the game plan, sir?” Dhayn asked flexing his fingers, ready to pull one of his guns at a moments notice. 

“I don’t like this part at all Mehlisha,” Kryhm said sullenly, looking over at his daughter, “but I’ve been ordered to send you in as a distraction.”

“What?” Dhayn and Mel both asked at once. Dhayn instinctively stepped closer to his female.

“You’ve been here before, for one of her parties, correct?” Kryhm asked.

“Yes, a fucking tea party. What does that have to…” 

Realization dawned on Mel’s face, and she nodded. Dhayn looked between the two of them, waiting for a better explanation.

“I can pretend to be dropping by to see a friend, and neutralize the guards,” Mel offered. 

“Can I go with her?” Dhayn asked Kryhm, a sick sense of panic settling in at the thought of sending Mel into enemy territory alone.

“No,” Kryhm replied with finality. 

Dhayn now matched the older male in height and size, but he knew better than to question him. That didn’t mean it wasn’t hard. He had to actually bite his tongue to keep the words from coming out. The small amount of pain brought a measure of clarity, and he saw the wisdom in sending Mel in alone—even if the idea was still making his instincts scream at him to keep her close.

Kryhm took their silence for acceptance, and explained the rest of the plan for attack. Mel eased behind the wheel of the Audi and resumed slowly driving down the paved lane, with Dhayn and Kryhm tailing her from behind the cover of the dense trees.

Dhayn’s palms were sweating as he gripped his glock and weaved his way through the cedars—keeping one eye on the red glow of Mel’s taillights and the other on the Kryhm’s back. The closer they got to the gate, the brighter the lights became, and the more they had to use the trees as cover. Dhayn could hear the tv playing in the guard station as they drew near enough that they had to stop and wait for Mel to check in.

Now that they were closer to the house, Dhayn could make out the security features the forest had hidden. The fifteen foot fence that surrounded the property was black wrought-iron. It blended in with the trees, while still imposing the security that the wealthier members of the glymera had come to require. It may look simple, but Dhayn knew it was rigged up with sensors, and likely ten-thousand volts of electricity. The small gatehouse, in contrast, stuck out like a ballgown in a nudist camp—with white panelled walls, and spot lights shining out to bathe the driveway in unnatural brightness. Dhayn and Kryhm waited in the darkness on the opposite side of the driveway, with a view of the door to the gatehouse, and the spot where Mel would have to stop. 

Mel parked the Audi under the gleaming lights and the chrome finish reflected the golden light onto all of the surrounding trees. The guard emerged from behind the door with a scowl on his young, scruffy face, and a hand on the firearm resting on his hip. The dark-haired male was obviously suspicious, and approached the car with caution.

Dhayn could tell the exact moment that Mel lowered her window. The guard’s posture relaxed—his hand dropped from his gun, and a devilish smile took over his face. Dhayn fought to keep in his growl of possession at the way the male was approaching his female—like a tiger on the hunt. Kryhm’s hand squeezed Dhayn’s shoulder, and he looked back to see the older male’s subtle nod of support. 

They listened as she talked to the guard in light tones and Dhayn tensed at her husky laughter, but whatever she had said must have worked, because the guard passed through the door and opened the gates for her. He strolled back out and Mel resumed her flirting. Kryhm and Dhayn used her distraction to slip through the open gate and duck behind the trimmed shrubbery that framed the rest of the long drive. 

Dhayn breathed a silent sigh of relief when Mel passed through the gate. As the chrome car slinked down the drive, Dhayn and Kryhm ran in a crouch, keeping themselves hidden by the four foot shrubs that led them to the front of the modest victorian-style house. The house was on the smaller scale for someone as prominent and wealthy as Lucinda, but it was pristine. It was classic white, with blue shutters, and a wrap-around porch—like something out of a storybook. When Mel pulled up in front, the sleek modern car was oddly juxtaposed with the vintage setting—as were the armed guards on either side of the front door. They were both imposing males, with large frames and cut-throat expressions. The one to the right of the door wore his long black hair in a tight ponytail, while the one on the left shaved his head, leaving only a buzzed strip down the middle. Both wore night camo and AK47s.

The two males watched the car intently, but didn’t seem to be fazed by it’s appearance. Dhayn guessed that the guard at the gate must have given them the heads-up. Neither of them took so much as a step toward Mel as she eased out of her sire’s car with sensual grace. He saw their heads angle to follow her as she approached them, and again he had to fight the urge to sidle up beside her and offer his protection. 

His waiting was almost over. She just had to make it through any security features that they might have on the doors, and then they could drop the charade and take action. He watched for her signal with unwavering concentration. Without the purr of the engine and the blaring TV, Dhayn could just make out what Mel was saying as she approached the guards. 

“Hey boys,” she purred. There was a little extra sway to the way she moved her hips as she climbed the final stair and stopped a few feet in front of them.

“We were not informed of any impending visitors,” the guard with the mohawk said in monotone. “State your business, or get the fuck out.”

“Now don’t you go and ruin my mood, tiger,” Mel said, slinking up to the male who had addressed her. “I’m here to get some action, and if Luc didn’t come down to tell you,” she paused to run a finger over his shoulder and down his chest, “then I guess they started without me.”

Dhayn ground his teeth and his whole body tensed—ready to spring. Again, Kryhm attempted to calm him with a hand on his back, but if this charade went much further, Dhayn was going to blow their cover—like it or not. _His_ female touching another male that way, talking about fucking someone else…it made his blood boil.

“Lucky fucking bastard,” mohawk said, throwing the other guard a look. 

Mel giggled—which she _never_ did—and flipped her hair over her shoulder. The actions seemed so foreign to Dhayn, that they actually helped to calm him down. _She’s just acting D, chill._

“I can ask if they want a forth, but you’ll have to let me in first,” Mel purred, slipping her hand lower to play with his belt. 

Mohawk visibly shuddered and reached blindly behind him for the door. The other guard shook his head and chuckled.

“You see, if I had tried that, you would have cut my hand off Kye,” he said, crossing his muscular arms over his chest and shaking his head.

“Would you shut the fuck up and open the damn door?” Kye snapped back, seeming to finally realize that the handle was on the opposite side.

The other guard complied, pressing his palm to a panel recessed into the door and waiting for a green light to appear, before turning the handle below it. He pushed the door inward and stepped back to let Mel enter.

“Thanks, Kye,” Mel said, caressing his name with her voice. She stepped toward the door and peered inside, pausing at the last moment before entering. “You know, I could use a warm up round. If you’re _up_ to it?” She nodded her head toward the inside of the house.

“J, you got this?” Kye asked, already following Mel inside.

“Go ahead. One of us might as well get something out of this lame-ass assignment,” J replied, leaning back against the wall. 

Kryhm stirred beside Dhayn. “What is she doing?” he whispered, as quietly as he could.

“I have no fucking clue,” Kryhm whispered back. 

This wasn’t part of the plan. What was Mel thinking? She shouldn’t take on Lucian and one of his guards alone, but they couldn't charge the house without endangering her even more. Dhayn lined up a shot, aiming at “J’s” forehead. If he could take him out in one shot, they could approach unannounced and use his hand to unlock the door. His aim was pretty good, not as good as Tara’s, but he was pretty sure he could make the shot. He glanced at Kryhm for approval, and the older male nodded once. Focusing back on the guard, Dhayn was seconds away from pulling the trigger, when the door suddenly opened again.

“I didn’t know you were such a fast lay. I might have to withdraw my offer,” J tossed over his shoulder.

But, it wasn’t Kye coming back out, it was Mel. She slashed out with a left hook before he saw it coming. Her katar opened up a deep wound in his throat, and she followed it with a fatal punch to the heart. The shocked male sunk to the porch with a muted thud. Mel signalled them to follow her, and ran back into the house.

Dhayn was already halfway there, without even realizing he had left his cover. Thankfully Kryhm was right beside him. They ran across the drive and up the steps, keeping as quiet as possible as they entered the house. Mel waited just inside. She anchored the door open with a footstool and dropped a severed hand onto the floor. Dhayn grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug, not able to stop himself. Over her shoulder he saw Kye’s body on the floor of the sitting room. His hand was missing, and his throat and chest were soaked in blood. Mel pushed back from Dhayn and gave him a stern look. He smiled at her apologetically and they both turned to get their next orders from Kryhm. 

Mel’s sire nodded at her in affirmation and then gestured toward the sounds they could hear coming from upstairs. The large house had a central staircase, and they climbed it silently, following the muted sounds of what could only be sex. At least the male would be caught off guard when they found him. Maybe they could take him alive after all, and Mel could take her time getting her revenge. 

Every room upstairs had the lights on, but the sounds were coming from the hall to the right. Kryhm led them down the hall, with Mel behind him, and Dhayn bringing up the rear. The hall was elegantly styled, with oil paintings of Lucinda’s family line, and rich gold wallpaper. They passed a bedroom and a small library, before finding their target.

The double-doors to the master suit were open, and a mirror on the wall just inside reflect an unexpected scene. The sounds they had been hearing were coming from a porn being played on a large screen set into the wall across from an elegant mahogany four poster bed. Lucian was watching the couple on-screen with rapt attention, as he roughly forced his sex into Lucinda’s mouth—gripping her hair with both fists to hold her head in place. The female was making sounds of protest, but he didn’t seem to even notice. 

Mel was across the room and pressing a blade to his spine within five seconds. Lucinda coughed and choked around the obstruction that was now lodged in her throat. Dhayn shook himself out of his stupor and pulled the tranq gun Ty had given him out of his belt at his back. He took aim, and shot the dart into the female’s shoulder. Within seconds Lucinda slumped forward, forcing Lucian to drop his hold.

“Who the fuck are you?” Lucian hissed through clenched teeth, his body still as a statue. His erect cock twitched and Dhayn had the sudden urge to cut the damn thing off.

“I’m your worst fucking nightmare, and I’m sure as hell not duct-taped to a mother fucking chair anymore,” Mel ground out, looping her free arm around his throat and squeezing until his face turned red.

Kryhm entered the room slowly, and Lucian struggled against Mel’s hold. The deadly calm Mel’s sire radiated was fucking erie. 

“Lucian, son of Rawk, you are herby charged and convicted of treason, murder and _rape_ ,” Kryhm stated with authority, his voice as cold as ice. Dhayn’s hands began to shake with the need to strike out at the low-life male, but this was their kill—their right.


	32. Chapter 32

Tru tensed his fingers on the steering wheel of his truck as the familiar scene of his childhood home came into view through the windshield. The driveway seemed longer than usual—the gravity of what he had to do making each inch feel like a mile as he drove slowly over the paved surface. Likewise, the trees bordering the property appeared taller, like silent sentries casting long shadows across the moonlit ground. He swallowed back the sick feeling in his stomach as he pulled the truck to a stop in front of the main entrance. Once he killed the engine all he could hear was the pounding of his heart in his ears like a war drum.

“You don’t have to do this Tru,” Tara said from the passenger seat, breaking the tense silence. Her steady voice, was accompanied by a wave of calm that enveloped him.

“Yes I do,” he replied, turning to face her. 

He knew she meant well, but her sympathy wasn’t warranted. Everyone seemed to think that turning his sire over to be interrogated—and likely killed—would be this horrible feat for Tru, but it was disconcertingly easy. Truthfully, he was more concerned about his lack of emotion over the whole thing, than completing the mission. Was there something wrong with him—that he held no sense of compassion or pity for his own sire? Was he going to wake up one morning, days or years later, with a crushing guilt or endless regret? All he could think, while he sat outside of Bharron’s house awaiting the signal to infiltrate, was that the bastard deserved to be brought down. 

Growing up in that house, Bharron had always acted as more of an abusive warden, lording it over a prison, than a loving sire raising and caring for his family. Tru could view his own scars and bruises as life lessons and things that made him stronger, but he remembered all too well the black and blue marks on his mahmen’s skin, and the swelling around Kaelyn’s eye after she had refused to mate the male Bharron had picked out for her. 

“I’m going to start listening now, so if there’s anything you don’t want me to hear you should think of kittens or something,” Tara said with a forced smile.

“I don’t have anything to hide from you, princess.” Tru reached out and took her smaller hand in his own, drawing strength from the understanding in her eyes. 

As challenging as it could be having a mate who could read him like an open book, Tru had come to cherish her gifts. He knew Tara understood exactly how he was feeling without having to stumble over the right words to explain himself. 

“I could kill him for ever laying a hand on you,” Tara said, the intensity of her gaze hardening her beautiful face.

“I think you’ll have to get in line for that one,” Tru quipped, running his thumb over the back of her hand.

The familiar heat that stirred to life every time he touched her was simmering just under the surface of his skin, but thanks to Tara, he knew how to restrain the compulsions that came with it. They both needed to keep their heads in the game if Bharron was as dangerous as Tru feared he was. 

“Okay, the other’s are here,” Tara said, closing her eyes and furrowing her brow. 

“What is it?” Tru asked, looking around them for any signs of a threat.

“Your mahmen is home.”

“We knew that was a possibility coming in here, just stick to the plan and everything will be fine.”

Tara could use her _powers of persuasion_ to convince Lydia that she needed to run errands or visit a friend while Tru talked business with his sire. 

“It’s not that. I could be wrong but it feels like he’s…like Bharron is with Saysha in another room.”

“Fucking?” Tru prompted, already knowing the answer.

“Yes…” she paused, shaking her head slowly. “With your mahmen home? That’s revolting.”

“Sorry, I should have warned you.”

“Not the first time I’m guessing?”

Tru shook his head and let his silence speak for him. His sire was always having closed-door meetings with females when Tru was growing up. It wasn’t until he was much older that Tru realized what went on in Bharron’s office.

“We should go in now—while he’s distracted,” Tru suggested, unfastening his seatbelt.

Tara closed her eyes again and stayed quiet for a moment as she communicated with her sire. Her forehead twitched slightly and her eyes moved behind her lids as words passed silently between them. Such an amazing gift she had. The Brotherhood would be much stronger with her in their ranks. His own future with them was still uncertain, but they would be stupid not to accept her.

“We’re good to go,” she said, breaking into his thoughts.

Adrenaline shot through his veins like a live wire, energizing his body and sharpening his senses. He had to contain himself as he walked around the front of the car and opened Tara’s door for her. They had to get inside without Bharron getting suspicious if they were going to get Lydia out of there before the shit hit the fan. It wasn’t beyond his sire to use Lydia as a hostage. Tara’s fingers entwined with his as they walked up the few steps to the front entrance. He took a calming breath and rung the door bell, the sound piercing the erie silence that surrounded them. 

His heartbeat seemed to grow louder and faster as the seconds ticked by. The door swung to the side to reveal a pleasantly surprised Lydia. She was surprised to see them; Tru could tell that much by her expression, but she was poised and polished as usual—a true beauty that Bharron didn’t deserve.

“Intrudehr! Tehrrify! It’s so lovely to see you both. What a wonderful surprise,” Lydia said with a radiant smile. She began to open her arms for a hug, but caught herself, dropping them to her sides. 

Tru felt a sickening in his stomach for the rift he had torn in his relationship with his mahmen. He knew that now was not the time, but one day soon he was going to make it up to her. He only hoped that she would forgive him for what he was about to do. He stepped forward and brought her into a tight embrace, dwarfing her petite frame within the cage of his arms. He felt as well as heard her sigh of relief. 

Tru stepped back and Lydia clasped both of Tara’s hands in greeting, gushing over how elegant she looked in the knee-length A-line dress she was wearing. Tru had to agree that Tara looked stunning in the little black number that Ty had custom made for her. What made it even hotter was knowing that hidden in the boning of the fitted bullet-proof bodice were several stiletto blades, and that under the flowing skirt there was a Beretta 92G Elite XXI strapped to her thigh. 

Tara wasted no time, quickly explaining their impromptu visit as a hopeful search for her mahmen’s lost bracelet she had been wearing the last time they were at the house. Lydia bought the lie and stepped aside to invite them in. Tru took out his cellphone and prayed to the Scribe Virgin that his sister had her phone on her. He sent out his hail Mary as Tara and Lydia looked under the cushions in the sitting room.

I NEED YOUR HELP. NO QUESTIONS ASKED? TELL MAHMEN YOU NEED HER TO COME OVER RIGHT AWAY.

He held his breath, waiting for her reply. A moment later his screen lit up.

DONE.

And that was one of the many reasons he loved his sister. She always had his back, just as she knew he would always have hers. Tru didn’t know what her reaction was going to be to his betrayal of their sire, but he hoped she would understand—the Virgin knew she had her own reasons to hate the bastard. His thoughts were interrupted by his mahmen’s phone ringing. She glanced at the display and answered it immediately. He watched her face carefully as she struggled with her need to help her daughter and the compulsion to stay with him and Tara. Tru nodded at Tara for her to work her magic. 

If you didn’t know what to look for you wouldn’t have any clue that Tara was doing anything but looking around the room for her bracelet, but Tru could see the slight stiffness in her movements and the way her eyes dilated as they focused on things he could not see. Lydia tucked away her phone and turned to Tru, guilt written on her features. 

“Kalyn needs you?” Tru prompted.

“I don’t have to go right away,” she replied, anxiously ringing her hands.

“Of course you do. Don’t worry mahmen we will come back for dinner later this week and look around then.” Tru rested his hand on the small of her back and began to subtly lead her toward the opposite end of the house, where she could access the garage. Her shoulders relaxed and her pace picked up—no doubt thanks to Tara channelling eagerness and resolve into the female.

They had her tucked into the back of her silver Rolls-Royce Ghost—one of her doggen appearing immediately to chauffeur the elegant sedan—and driving down the driveway within a minute. Tru took a relieved breath as her taillights disappeared from view. He turned abruptly and pulled Tara in for a scorching kiss. The air around them crackled as he ran his hand down her back; the cool material like soft snake skin beneath his eager hands. He pulled back before his super-charged libido could wreak havoc on them both. Tara’s kiss swollen lips curved up slowly into a sultry smile, made all the more tempting by the fire in her eyes.

“You are going to finish that later,” she purred, arching a perfect brow in challenge.

“Multiple times,” he retorted, giving her ass a light tap as he passed her on the way back into the house.

They left both the garage door and the interior door open for the Brothers to use as their infiltration point. Tru cracked his neck to release some of the tension that was building the closer he got to the wing of the house that housed his sire’s office and private sitting room. Tara’s heels clicked rhythmically on the hardwood floors like the ticking of a clock as they passed through the silk wallpapered hallways. When they finally reached the mahogany clad sound-proof door to Bharron’s office, it was left slightly ajar, letting out some of the noises they were making on the other side. This office was also Bharron’s safe room and if that door was left open, Tru knew it was intentional. He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to throw open the door and beat the living shit out of his sire. Righteous anger for his mahmen, for Kaelyn, hell even for his own defenceless pre-trans self had him re-thinking the whole stealth approach. Tara’s hand landing on his shoulder calmed him immediately.

“Stick to the plan Tru,” she whispered. “We need answers before blood, and you said yourself that we won’t get in that room by force.”

Tru nodded and brought his fist up to the door, knocking with three decisive raps of his knuckles against the hard wood. There was a long silence before the door was thrown aside. 

“This had better be…” Bharron cut himself off the moment he saw Tru.

The older male looked the part of the cut-throat business mogul as he dominated the doorway in a three-piece grey suit the colour of his eyes and a cold glare that used to make the hairs on Tru’s arms stand on end. If Tru didn’t know better, he never would have guessed that he had just been fucking his assistant. She on the other hand had not recovered so quickly. Her blonde hair was mussed, her lipstick smeared, and she was still adjusting the skirt of her fitted red business suit when she caught sight of Tru. The panic in her eyes shifted immediately to a heated invitation. He had to look away as bile rose in his throat. He couldn’t believe he had ever let her lay a hand on him. Saysha was a beautiful female, but next to Tara, all he could see was the ugliness that rested beneath her skin.

“Intrudehr,” Bharron said in a controlled voice—giving nothing away as to how he felt about the prodigal son showing up twice in one week. He glanced casually over Tara’s body, the way Tru would check out another male’s ride. Tru’s bonding scent began to permeate the air around them, causing Bharron to focus once again on his son.

“Bharron,” Tru replied, subtly stepping in front of Tara. “We need to discuss something with you.”

Bharron raised one brow and stared into Tru’s eyes, no doubt trying to get a read on him. Tru held his ground, a neutral expression on his face. Bharron’s scrutiny shifted to Tara who would give him more than he was expecting for sure. 

The older male stepped to the side, allowing them entrance into his office and personal sanctuary. As soon as they crossed the threshold Tara was supposed to send word to her sire. As her heels silenced on the carpet of the room Tru took a steadying breath. Show time.

  


Tara reached out to Thrett with her mind and gave him the green light to move in. Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she cased the room. There were no windows, typical of a vampire safe room, but everything else about the space seemed better suited for the top floor of a New York skyscraper than in the heart of an old money mansion. The room was much larger than she had expected, with four distinct areas dividing it up. A large chrome and glass desk dominated the space from the far corner, with a high-back leather office chair sitting vacant across from two conference chairs—clearly Bharron’s throne of sorts. There was a granite bar lined with chrome bar stools facing a wall stocked with every type of alcohol Tara could think of immediately to her left, and a black leather three-piece sitting area that had clearly just been used for Bharron’s not so professional activities to her right. Everything was done up in shades of black and grey save for a bright red area rug that grounded the seating area. Opposite the desk was a floor to ceiling fireplace in grey and white stone, with two black wing-back chairs facing the open flames. 

There were no other exits that she could see—unless one of the walls hid a secret door that Tru didn’t know about—so getting entrance through the main door had indeed been their only option. The Brothers would be bearing down on them any minute and it was their job to make sure that door stayed open. Tara brought her attention back to the odd couple in front of her, and the hackles rose on the back of her neck at the look Saysha was giving Tru. The female’s lust was a burning stench in her nose. Tara’s mind was suddenly clouded with one thought; _Mine_.

“Saysha, you don’t need to be here,” Tru said bluntly, staring down the petite female in obvious disdain.

Tara smiled at the rejection and reminded herself that she had to be careful with her shields down. Who knew what she had been projecting. Saysha bristled and straightened her spine, tilting her chin up slightly before speaking.

“That’s for your _sire_ to decide, Intrudehr.”

Bharron looked the three of them over and smiled slightly before strolling over to the large desk and taking a seat behind it. 

“If this is about business, she stays,” he said nonchalantly, motioning to the conference chairs that faced him on the other side of the desk. “You’re here instead of in the sitting room, so I can only assume it is.”

He moved his fingers deftly over the glass surface, opening and closing windows while he simultaneously watched to see how Tru would respond.

Tara personally didn’t care if the bitch became collateral damage, but if there was any possibility of her compromising their mission, she had to be removed. Tara slipped into Saysha’s mind all too easily and planted a simple idea that would distract her, albeit only temporarily.

“On second thought, I will step out for a minute to use the washroom. If you don’t mind sir?” Saysha asked hesitantly, as if she really did need to ask his permission to pee. 

Tara looked again at Bharron, who seemed truly irritated by the request. He waved her off with a dismissive motion as Tara and Tru sat in the chairs he had offered them. The control he had over Saysha was really creepy. Tara felt almost bad for her…almost. It didn’t stop her from slipping into her mind again to make sure that she left the door open on her way out.

“Where is your mahmen?” Bharron asked, sitting back in his chair to cross his arms over his large chest. 

“She had to go help Kay with something,” Tru answered with a shrug.

“So, what is it that you want from me Intrudehr?” 

“I want for you to own up to what you’ve been doing. It would make it a whole lot easier on all of us,” Tru said casually, matching his sire’s stance.

Tara focused on Bharron and tested his natural mental defences. Some people, especially warriors, seemed to build their own protective shields in their minds without knowing they needed them. Most likely from years of practice controlling their thoughts and focusing their minds. Bharron was no exception, and Tara didn’t want to force her way in and risk exposing herself and her talents. Her sire’s gift was well known and as a former WIT Bharron would no doubt have found his own defences against such a weapon—though she doubted his best attempt could thwart her if she really wanted in, which she did. Still, the longer her _gift_ was a secret, the better. Tara cultivated a sense of calm in her mind and channeled it toward the older male. A weak spot formed and she slipped in. 

“I know how much you hate the Brotherhood,” Tru continued. “The question is, how much?”

“And you’re an _us_ now?” Bharron questioned, indignantly.

Tara heard more than his tone, she followed his thoughts as they jumped from annoyance, to fear at being discovered, to suspicion over their real purpose for being in his office. He even briefly thought of whether he could flip Tru over to his side and use him as a double agent. Tara was shaken a little at the thought. She had never even considered the possibility of Tru siding with his sire. 

“Yes, and is that going to be a problem for you?” Tru asked.

Tara felt Tru’s resolve and the sense of unease lifted from her. He was almost as dedicated to the Brotherhood as he was to her.

“Be mindful of your allies Intrudehr. Times are changing and you don’t want to end up on the losing side of the battle.” 

Bharron gave a self-satisfied grin and did exactly what Tara had been waiting for; he compared the Brotherhood to his own supporters in his mind. He was cataloguing those that would stand with him to reassure himself of his strength—giving Tara a mental list of the resistance, and the evidence she needed to signal his arrest. 

“You’ve been out of the game a long time Bharron,” Tara said calmly getting to her feet, with the Beretta now in her right hand pointed squarely at his chest. “You have no idea what we are capable of.”

Tru rose quickly from his seat and rounded the desk, pulling a pair of handcuffs from his waistband at the small of his back. He seemed to take pleasure in forcing Bharron’s hands behind his back and into the metal restraints. 

“You would betray your own bloodline?!” Bharron shouted, fighting against Tru’s hold. 

Tru had him face down on the floor within seconds; his knee pressed firmly into his spine and his large hands rendering Bharron immobile. Tara couldn’t help her smile as she watched such an obvious show of Tru’s strength. His muscled forearms flexed with each attempt at escape, but Bharron didn’t get an inch. 

Thrett burst into the room, followed by Huhnter, Stehlth, and four males that Tara assumed were the Brothers sent by the king. Huhnter had a bloody lip and one of the other Brothers was limping slightly, but they seemed otherwise unharmed.

“Sorry for the delay,” Thrett said. “The guards patrolling the perimeter called in backup.”

“Not a problem. As you can see we have things under control here,” Tara said, motioning to the males on the floor. 

“Did you get Saysha?” she asked Thrett.

“Yes, Tyrahnt has her in the other room,” he answered.

“Good, she’ll need to be brought in for questioning too,” Tara explained. 

She had gotten mostly thoughts of the sexual variety from the female since meeting her, but Tara had gotten glimpses that spoke to a deeper involvement with the rebellion.

As the Brothers took Bharron into custody and Tru rounded the desk toward her, Tara relaxed and had a moment of thinking that things had gone surprisingly well, before something fisted in her gut and had her curling in on herself. Tru was speaking to her, asking what was wrong, but she couldn’t focus on him. The blood in her veins seemed to tremble—an echo of a pain not her own. _Dhayne…_

“Oh sweet Virgin, no!” she exclaimed.

Another searing pain trembled through her and she collapsed to her knees. _Mel._ She reached out through the connection of her blood and found them both in excruciating pain. Something was horribly wrong. Suddenly the images of her gruesome dream flashed before her eyes, and she was running blindly out of the office toward the nearest exit. She barely registered the distant voices of Tru and Thrett pursuing her as her heals clacked swiftly over the tiled foyer and out onto the gravel driveway. The moment the night air caressed her skin she focused on the draw of her blood and released her corporal form, throwing herself toward the siren of their pain.


	33. Chapter 33

  


Mel lifted Lucinda’s unconscious body as gently as she could from the floor were she had been kneeling and laid her out on top of the kingsize bed. She looked around until she spotted a remote and turned off the raunchy movie that was still playing on the big screen. 

Lucinda would wake up in an hour with a headache, but she seemed otherwise unharmed as Mel looked her over. She hoped that the female wasn’t truly involved with the rebellion, she had already been through too much at such a young age. She was only a year or two older than Mel.

She plucked the tranquilizer dart from Lucinda’s arm and palmed it as she made her way downstairs after the males. She swallowed thickly at the sight of the downed guards on the main floor. It was one thing to hunt down lessers, but it had been an entirely different feat to kill one of her own kind. The drive up to the house hadn’t been nearly enough time to give herself the mental pep talk needed to take down the two guards without bile rising in her throat. Sure, they were outlaws and active members of the rebellion that was waging war against the Brotherhood and the King, but their red blood would stain her conscience for the rest of her long life.

“It had to be done Mehlisha,” Kryhm said, climbing the front steps to where she stood staring at the fallen guard. His dark brown eyes were steady as they met hers. 

“I could have knocked them out,” she replied quietly, mentally going over the terrifying two minutes she spent on this porch alone with the two guards and their AK47s.

“You could have tried, but more than likely you would have ended up starting a gun fight and who knows how many of their bullets would have been buried in friendly flesh?” he reassured her, placing a hand at the small of her back to steer her away from the blood she had spilled.

“There are always casualties in war.”

Down on the paved driveway Dhayn was belting an unconscious Lucian into the front seat of her sire’s Audi and the sight of the male who had murdered her sister pushed aside her guilt and brought her rage to the surface. Kryhm was right, _they_ had started this war and chosen their own fate in doing so. She clenched her fists as she held herself back from launching at the car and getting at least one shot in before Kryhm took him away. She would be happy to live with _his_ blood on her hands.

“Thrett has agreed to let you assist in his interrogation Mehlisha,” Kryhm said from behind her.

This was a surprise. She turned away from Dhayn as he firmly shut the car door and met her sire’s eyes. She could tell that he too wanted nothing more than to make Lucian bleed for his part in Phyrie’s death.

“When and where?” she asked in return.

“Tomorrow night, and I can’t tell you where. I’ll drive you there myself, but you’ll have to remain blindfolded the entire trip,” he replied, rounding his car to open the drivers side door.

“Understood,” she said, nodding in acceptance of his terms.

“The cleanup crew has been called in, so you two can head back to the compound and await further orders from myself or Thrett,” Kryhm said, waiting for them both to acknowledge the order before sliding behind the wheel and shutting himself in with Lucian.

Dhayn had already returned to the gatehouse and used his remaining tranquilizer dart on the guard while Mel had dealt with Lucinda, so Kryhm had an open exit as he tore down the driveway in the sleek chrome Audi. She bounced on the balls of her feet, edgy with the need to tail them until she knew for sure that Lucian was imprisoned, but she knew she had to follow Kryhm’s orders if she ever wanted to prove herself worthy of the Brotherhood.

The moon was high in the sky as she breathed in the night air and did her best to clear the restless energy from her system. Even with the bloodshed, there hadn’t been nearly enough fighting to satisfy her pent up angst.

“You okay?” Dhayn asked, resting his hands on her shoulders as he stepped up behind her. 

He placed a gentle kiss to the side of her neck that sent shivers down her spine. There was more than one way to work of all that energy she supposed.

“I will be,” she answered, turning to look up into his blue and green gaze. “Once you’re inside me,” she finished with a grin.

Dhayn’s eye’s lit up and he growled deep in his throat—a husky masculine sound that had her clenching in anticipation. He cupped the back of her head with both of his hands and kissed her deeply with a hunger that matched her own. His tongue prodded at her lips and she let him in eagerly, moaning at his shallow thrusts. He was fucking her mouth his tongue, a seductive tease of what she really wanted. He slid his tongue over her descended fang and jolt of pleasure shot through her body and ignited her core. She grabbed at the waist of his jeans and just as she hooked a finger through his belt he stepped back and grabbed her hand in his, breaking the kiss with a sharp inhale. His fangs caught the moonlight and she instinctively bared her neck for him. 

“Let’s get the car and get the fuck home. I want to get you naked and keep you that way for a hell of a lot longer than the sun is going to give us out here.”

He was already tugging her along behind him before she could reply. Mel smiled to herself as a shiver of anticipation coursed over her body. Her skin alighting with remembered pleasure and the promise of more to come.

They passed the open gate and hurried down the paved drive toward the car, the light from the house dimming the farther they went into the ancient trees. The matte black lambo was almost invisible where Dhayn had parked it between two towering cedars, but he knew exactly where it was. He tugged on her arm as they reached the car and slammed her into his hard chest. She could feel him hard and ready through the layers of clothing between them and it made her sex come alive with need. His mouth captured hers and he devoured her with kisses—teasing her with his plunging tongue until she was grasping at his shoulders in a futile attempt to get closer. She was on the edge of orgasm from his kiss alone when he released her and took a step back. His blue and green eyes glowed as he struggled to catch his breath. Mel reached out to bridge the gap between them, sliding her hand under his open leather jacket. The defined muscles beneath the thin cotton of his black shirt tensed as she ran her hand down from his ribs to the waist of his jeans. 

The snap of a twig brought her head quickly to the right, seeking out the noise. Dhayn stilled and slowed his breathing, searching the dark woods along with her. They stepped apart and crouched beside the car as another crunching sound echoed out in the night. Mel pulled her gun from the holster on her ankle and watched as Dhayn slid his from under his arm. She chanced a quick look around the front of the car and caught sight of four figures prowling though the threes toward them. The moonlight filtered through the dense canopy just enough to make out the guns in their hands. 

Looks like she was going to get that fight after all.

Dhayn nodded to Mel as she raised four fingers and motioned to the front of the car. He hated that he couldn’t assess the danger that was coming for them and had a brief thought of locking her into his bulletproof car and taking on the four enemies himself, but even if he did manage to pull it off, Mel would kill him for disrespecting her as a fighter. That didn’t mean this was going to be easy. You’d think he would have been used to going into combat with her by now, but every time it was a struggle to let her fight her own battles. Every instinct he had screamed at him to stake his claim and protect his mate. 

_You can do this._ She _can do this._ He bolstered himself, reaching under his jacket for his second gun. The steel was warm from his body heat and he gripped it tightly as he waited for Mel’s signal. She nodded and they both sprung to their feet with their guns at ready. Their first shots hit their targets. Mel hit a male’s shoulder and Dhayn sent another male to the ground with a bullet in his chest and head. One down three and a half to go. The rebels returned fire as Mel and Dhayn ducked back down for cover—the bullets ricocheting off of the bulletproof siding and glass of Dhayn’s car. He flinched at the sound. His poor car was going to need one hell of a repair job by the end of the night. The shots ceased as they reloaded and Dhayn took aim and sent his own foray of bullets into the dark forest. 

The trees were thick with the summer undergrowth and provided great cover for the rebels but as the next round of shots rang out Dhayn ducked down just enough for cover so that he could watch through the glass of the back door and pinpoint the muzzle flash of the nearest assailant while he slid his last magazine into his glock.

A small burst of light appeared about fifty yards away and slightly to the right, giving him his target. Ducking behind the car again he waited until the next pause in fire to take aim and empty his clip. He could just barely hear the shout that rang out over the sound of Mel shooting beside him. 

They took cover once again as the two remaining gunmen opened fire and then all was silent. Dhayn looked to Mel but she was out of ammo too. The holstered their weapons and waited for a sign of movement from within the trees. They had no way of knowing if their enemies were reloading or sitting ducks. After a beat apparently Mel got tired of waiting, launching herself over the hood of the car and charging into the dense forest at full speed. Dhayn scrambled after her, his heavy footfalls making a racket as he trampled over sticks and leaves in a panic. His eyes had adjusted to the night as he could make out Mel’s lithe form gracefully dodging trees ahead of him, but he had no idea where the rebels were hiding.

He was so focused on tailing Mel that he didn’t see or hear the other male until he was being body checked in the ribs and throw sideways. His leather jacket saved his skin from being shredded by the rough back of the tall pine tree that collided with his shoulder. Snapping into action he absorbed the blow and struck out with a punch to the ribs of his assailant, followed by a left hook to his jaw. The male stumbled back a step and brought up his fists to block the next blow. The jab Dhayn threw out was deflected and countered with a knee to Dhayn's side. Retreating a couple of steps to get his bearings, Dhayn got his first good look at the other male. He was a big guy, clearly a fighter by the way he held himself. His dark hair was buzzed short and he had a strong square jaw. Something about him seemed familiar but Dhayn couldn’t quite place it. 

“Maybe once you’re out of the picture I’ll get a shot with that hot piece of ass you left Edrik’s party with,” the male said, sneering as he balanced on the balls of his feet.

Dhayn prepared to block a kick as he registered his words. This guy was at Lucinda’s coming home party? Dhayn had wonder if Edrik had known the very people who kidnapped his daughter were drinking his wine and celebrating her return. The thought made him sick; and now this mother fucker was talking about Mel. Dhayn growled as the bonded male in him saw red. _Mine_

  


The blonde male Mel was fighting was good, but he was no Brother. He had clearly underestimated her at first, but the near panic in his eyes told her that she had more than proven herself a worthy opponent. His left arm hung limply from a dislocated shoulder and a steady rivulet of blood snaked down his right arm to where he held his silver dagger with an iron grip. 

“You can end this you know,” she offered, countering his movements so that they pivoted around a central spot.

“Surrender, tell us everything you know and the King might be lenient,” she added. She kept her katars engaged—with no gun she had no need to retract them.

“Shut up bitch,” he spat, glaring at her with pure hatred in his eyes. “I don’t need your mercy, or your _king_.”

He lunged, blocking her first punch with his dagger and using his momentum to ram his injured shoulder into her chest. He had at least fifty pounds on her, so there was no way for her to absorb the blow. The impact had her breathless and struggling to maintain her footing on the loose earth. Her foot caught on an exposed root and she tumbled backward onto her ass. He was on her in seconds, his shit kicker sinking into the soft flesh of her side and sending her rolling across the forest floor. She fought the urge to curl in on herself and grabbed onto the next foot that came her way, heaving on his leg until he joined her on the ground with a thud and a curse. His dagger knocked free of his hand as he tried to catch himself. Mel jumped to her feet and kicked the blade, sending it skittering into the dark underbrush surrounding them. Before he could right himself, Mel took aim at his left side where he wouldn’t be able to block her, and let her foot fly. There was a muted thud as her steel-toed boot made contact with his temple. His big body went limp and crumpled to the ground.

Mel didn’t check to see if he was still alive or just unconscious, she didn’t much care at this point. She frantically scanned the area around her for signs of Dhayn, but couldn’t find him. Panic gave her another shot of adrenaline as she started weaving her way through the trees. She wasn’t even sure if she was heading back toward the car or father away from it. All of the trees looked the same—towering columns of black surrounding her on all sides for as far as she could see. She looked up to try and get her bearings, but the stars were blotted out by the thick foliage of birches, oaks and pines. The full moon pierced through tiny gaps in the forest canopy, painting it with silvery shafts of light like etherial brush strokes on a canvas of black.

A shout to her right caught her attention, and she took off in the direction of the noises that followed. The moon gave her just enough light to see and avoid the trees, but the undergrowth kept her from running at full speed. As she neared the sounds of the fight she began to make out the shadowed forms of Dhayn and his opponent battling it out amongst the imposing trees.

They were a fair match, each taking and giving blows in turn, but neither showing signs of any real injury. She stopped behind a large oak, a safe distance from their face off—giving Dhayn room to fight, but close enough to step in if something went wrong. She watched her mate demonstrate his unrestrained power with expertly placed kicks and punches until he not only had the upper hard, but was almost toying with the male who had moments before seemed his equal. A perfectly executed uppercut to the jaw laid the rebel fighter out cold on the forest floor. 

Mel took a minute to listen for any signs of further attack before weaving through the remaining trees to get to Dhayn. He was covered in sweat and sexy as hell standing over his defeated opponent with his fists clenched and ready to deliver the next blow.

The smell of his blood as she approached him made her exposed fangs tingle in anticipation and she inhaled greedily as she circled him to check for any serious injuries. 

The scent was coming from a split lip, but he seemed otherwise unharmed—although she couldn’t really tell with his clothes on. The thrill of the fight coupled with her growing bloodlust left her amped up and solely focused on devouring the delicious male in front of her. She unfastened the katars from her forearms and dropped them to the ground while a simmering heat stirred to life in Dhayn’s eyes. She pounced, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around neck, causing him to stumble back before regaining his footing and gripping her ass in his large hands. Leaning in, she brought his lips to hers. Kissing him eagerly, thoroughly, she pressed forward, the hard length of his sex finding that place that belonged to him and him alone.

Mel was aware of movement, the shifting of his hips causing the head of his cock to rub exquisitely over her sensitive mound. She rocked her hips in time with his movements until her back was pressed firmly against a large tree. 

She broke away from their kiss and curled back her upper lip, exposing her fangs. Then, tilting her head to the side, she ran one lethal tip along the vein just below the skin of his neck.

His bonding scent flared as he shuddered against her. She sucked on the hollow at the base of his throat and lapped at his pulse with her tongue. His skin was salty from exertion and smelling of the rich spices that would soon permeate her skin. 

Need took hold of her, and she sunk her fangs into the soft skin of his neck, drinking deep, taking that part of him that nourished and strengthened her, and in a way marking him in return. His body convulsed against her own, his erection seeking out her sex through their layers of clothing.

She drew on his vein in strong pulls, the rich lifeblood quenching one thirst, and igniting another. She reached between them and fumbled with the fly of her jeans, but she couldn’t get them down with her legs still locked around him.

Pinning her to the tree with his body, Dhayn took care of the problem—gripping the waist of her jeans and wrenching on the denim so hard that the pants split down the seem with a satisfying rip. He supported her ass with his left hand as he pushed aside the thin cotton of her panties with his right. Then, his fingers were right where she needed them, massaging her sex, slipping and sliding, teasing and then entering her—making sure she was ready for him. The roughness of the bark against her bare skin added a tantalizing bite of pain to her pleasure, amplifying it.

His hand left her to free his erection from his pants and the cool night air brushed her sensitive core, sending a shiver through her. The thick head of his cock found her slick entrance and she had to break her seal on his throat to cry out his name as he buried himself to the hilt. The exquisite fullness was almost too much to bear, and as he drew back she screamed out her release, her inner muscles clamping down on him as he began to thrust into her, milking her release.

As one orgasm ebbed the next one stirred to life. He kept up a steady rhythm, his cock finding that perfect spot inside of her and gliding over it relentlessly until she was lost to an unending climax that shattered her. His lethal fangs sunk into her neck and his cock kicked inside of her, scorching jets of his release filling her as he took from her vein. 

Her vision blurred and her pulse deafened her ears as she arched into him, trying to survive the explosive sensations that rocked her body. There was a sudden burning pain in her chest, that knocked her back against the tree, and took her breath away. The sting of the bark scraping her bare ass as she slid from Dhayn’s grip was nothing compared to the agony of her chest. She looked up at Dhayn and was confused by the dark blossoming stain over his right shoulder. He dropped to his knees in front of her, shielding her body with his. She wanted to ask him what had happened but her lips wouldn’t move and her tongue felt too thick in her mouth. Her breath came in short gasps until finally she couldn’t take in any air at all. She was drowning on dry land, her body convulsing as blood rushed from between her lips. She reached out to Dhayn and the world faded to black.


	34. Chapter 34

  


Tara took form in near darkness, the towering trees surrounding her blocking out the moon she had been standing under just moments before. It took her a second to regain her bearings as her eyes adjusted to the shadows. She frantically searched around her for Dhayn and Mel, knowing they were close, but unable to pinpoint exactly where they were. A gunshot pierced through the silent forest and without any further thought she bolted in the direction of the sound. 

She dodged her way around several trees until she broke into a small clearing and nearly stumbled over the body of a male that lay face down in the dirt. There were four more bodies broken and littered across the forest floor, but she quickly disregarded them when she spotted Dhayn crouching over another form—the scene all too familiar. Tara acted on instinct, releasing her Beretta from it’s holster beneath her skirts and taking aim between two trees in the distance. She opened fire at the darkness as she ran forward, praying to the Virgin that she had remembered the right spot. Low slung branches and underlying shrubs scratched her bare arms and legs as she cut her way through the trees, but she didn’t register the myriad of tiny cuts that dotted her skin with blood, she just kept firing. The grunt of pain she heard when she ran out of bullets sent a thrill through her. She slide one of the thin blades from the bodice of her dress as she came upon the stumbling warrior, and slit his throat from ear to ear as she took him to the ground. 

“Tara! Where are you?” Tru’s voice came from somewhere behind her.

She lifted her shields completely and reached out with her mind, scanning as far out as she could for any other threats. She didn’t find any unknown minds, but the sheer agony exuding from Dhayn had her on her feet and running again.

She stopped dead when she found Tru kneeling beside Dhayn, who had his wrist pressed against Mel’s lips. When Tru’s apologetic eyes met hers she hurried forward—a hollow ache forming inside of her chest. _No._ She shook her head, reaching out once again with her mind. At first she felt nothing, heard nothing, but then a ripple of awareness came out of Mel—a whisper of pain and desperation. 

“She’s not dead,” Tara declared, dropping to the ground to join them. The rough ground did nothing to cushion her bare knees, but she didn’t register the pain of the small twigs and rocks digging into her skin, all she cared about was Mel. She was pale as a ghost and her heart was barely beating, but Tara could _feel_ her. She was’t gone yet.

Dhayn started rocking slowly—his eyes haunted and staring blankly ahead. His whole body was shaking with visible tremors.

“They must have called for backup. We were distracted. I should have heard them. Oh God, I’m so sorry Mel,” Dhayn wept, pulling her limp body tight against his own.

Tara registered the scent of his blood at the same moment his mental signature started to fade. Dhayn slumped to the side, taking Mel with him. Tara fumbled after them, trying to keep Dhayn from snuffing out what little life Mel had left.

“Help me!” she yelled at Tru.

He quickly repositioned Dhayn’s heavy body to the side of Mel’s and Tara got her first good look at the two of them. Mel seemed to only have one wound—a gunshot to the chest. Dhayn on the other hand had been worked over good. Both arms had multiple lacerations; the sleeves of his leather jacket were torn and stained an ominous dark red. He had clearly had a run in with several blades, and he had been shot at least twice; not to mention how much blood he had lost trying to feed Mel.

“Oh shit,” Tru exclaimed, taking in the gruesome display.

Tara’s mind was working on overdrive. She could give Dhayn some of her blood but she had no idea if it would help with the extent of his injuries, and Mel…shit what fuck could she do to save her? 

“Call Thrett,” she said over her shoulder, as she applied pressure to Mel’s sluggishly bleeding wound.

“Already did. They are on their way with a med team.”

“I don’t think we have that long.” 

She still felt Dhayn’s presence in her mind but it was fading, fast. Panicked, she bit into her wrist, ignoring the sting of her fangs slicing into her vein, and pressed it against his slack lips. Tru’s bonding scent enveloped her in a rush and the growl he let out snapped her head around. His lips were pulled back to reveal his lethal fangs. Pure white and sharp as daggers, they were impressive as hell and ready to tear into D if Tara didn’t do something, fast. She mentally formed a sense of calm and directed it at Tru. She was blocked by his mental shields and a wall of possessive rage. A deep furrow formed between his glowing golden eyes as he struggled against her calming influence.

“You need to let me do this,” Tara begged.

“No.”

“He's going to die if I don’t! 

“Stop, _please_.”

“No! You know this doesn't mean anything. You know I love you.”

"I know that you love him too, and that this isn’t the first time he’s had your blood. I can't Tara, I just can't. You have to stop. I’m so sorry princess, but I'm barely keeping my shit together, and that’s _with_ you calming me down—I don't know how much longer I can hold myself back.”

Tara could feel his inner turmoil, and the almost physical pain of his restraint. He was trying his best to reign himself in, but his instincts were short-circuiting his self-control. He was a bonded male, hot-wired to claim and protect his mate, and ceremony or not, she was _his_. As she watched him fight his silent battle, an undeniable need to stop _his_ pain engulfed her, and her will crumbled. Like the final cog slipping into place her reality shifted, she realized he belonged to her just as much as she belonged to him. She looked helplessly at Mel, wondering if she could handle letting Tru feed her, and her stomach twisted at the thought. _Mine_. The silent declaration surprised her, but she couldn’t hide from her own feelings any longer, and there was no way she would be able to sit back and watch him offer his vein to another female, even if it was Mel. Days, or even hours before, she would have breathed a sigh of relief in finally knowing for sure that she had made the right choice in agreeing to mate Tru, but now the revelation was bittersweet. She pulled back her wrist and licked it to seal the wound.

Mel’s lips were slightly parted and smeared with Dhayn’s blood—a slash of crimson on an otherwise pale face. Dread settled in her belly as she realized that it didn’t matter either way. Even if they could give them blood it wasn't going to be enough. She was too late.

 _Hang in there. Don’t you dare slip into the fade._ She urged her thoughts toward her friends, praying that they could still hear her. If only she could project the will to live. If only… _wait_.

She turned toward Tru; a crazy plan forming in her mind. His face was downcast and his thoughts were shrouded in guilt. He looked up and met her eyes with resolve filling his own, and suddenly she was hit by a tidal wave of sensation—the simmering lust-fuelled energy that Tru only ever truly released when they were making love was untapped and pouring out of him like an open dam. Her body responded immediately, the magnetic pull of his raw sexuality causing her nipples to harden and moisture to pool between her legs. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, her body quaking with desire. She slammed her shields back in place and took a deep calming breath. It was a raincoat in a tsunami, but at least she could think straight. She couldn’t believe he had been keeping all of that inside, but this was so not the time or place.

“Force me to calm down, make me see something else. Do whatever you need to do. My mind is open and I won’t stop you.”

His vulnerability stunned her. A warmth enveloped her chest as her heart swelled with love and pride. She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his as tears slipped silently down her cheeks. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her tight against his hard body and everywhere they touched came alive with sensation—igniting a deep yearning that she knew only Tru could fulfil. With her last bit of self control she managed to break away from their kiss.

“Thank you for loving me—for trusting me that much, but there’s something else I can try. It’s risky, and I’ll need your help.”

Tru’s glowing gold flecked eyes were locked onto her as he struggled to gain control of his bonding instincts. Tara helped him as much as she could, but she was distracted by the seconds ticking by—each one taking her best friends farther into the fade.

“I’ll do whatever you want me to,” he said finally, but she could tell that it wasn’t an easy thing for him to promise. His entire body was wound tight as a vice.

“Lock down that libido of yours and give me your vein.”

“What?”

Tara held Tru’s face between her palms and showed him the panic and desperation in her eyes. There was a chance; a slim one, but a chance nonetheless and at this point that's all they had.

"I'm going to try to heal them and I have no fucking clue if I'm going to be able to, but if I can then I think I'm going to need a lot of your blood."

What she didn’t tell him, was that if she didn’t have his blood to regain her strength she could very well die, and even with it there were no guarantees that she would make it out of this unharmed. She had yet to test out this particular gift, but she had heard the stories of what Payne could do and had always wondered. Her other gifts had emerged naturally, but what if an ability to heal was laying dormant within her? She owed it to her friends to try. Tru looked apprehensive, but he nodded his support and released her. Tara turned back around and knelt between her two friends; placing her hands on their gunshot wounds.

Tru’s bonding scent intensified, infusing the air around them with the rich spices that were unique to him alone. He moved in close behind her silently, kneeling with one leg on either side of hers so that his body was draped over her like a comforting blanket. Even with his shields back in place, his nearness and the contact between them stirred to life the familiar fire that she didn't know if she’d ever get used to. She shivered as pinpricks of electricity danced over her skin wherever they touched. When he wrapped his arm around her and offered her his wrist, she moaned at the onslaught of lust and yearning that lapped against her senses. She needed her shields to be down for what she was about to do but her mind scrambled as the hard length of him pressed into her lower back. She took another deep breath and tried her best to ignore the tingling between her legs. 

“Dear Virgin, help me.”

She focused on her palms and the wounds beneath them, and reached out with her mind. _Heal_ , she thought, forcing her will through her fingertips as though the barrier of flesh were a mental shield blocking her out. _Heal. Heal. Heal._ After an unbearable moment that seemed to last forever, her hands began to heat up and a subtle glow emanated from beneath her skin. She was bolstered by the fabled blue light and sent another wave of power into the broken flesh, willing it to knit back together. The more she focused, the brighter the light became, until the cool blue glow was all she could see. She could feel only heat beneath her hands, but something deep within her told her it was working. Like offering her lifeblood from a vein, it was an exchange of power, of life. A sheen of sweat broke out over her skin and her breaths became gasps as the draw of energy crested and she felt her body sway with exhaustion. Soft skin was pressed to her lips and her fangs descended in a dizzying rush, sinking into flesh before she fully registered what she was doing. It was probably a much harder bite than she needed to make, but with the first draw of his blood Tru shuddered behind her, and she was engulfed with lust, not pain. The familiar taste and scent of Tru permeated her every sense and her body syphoned everything he could offer, absorbing the essential life-giving power in his blood and the electric current of lust that emanated from his touch. Tru let out a guttural cry, his body jerking violently as an orgasm overtook him. 

It was nearly impossible to resist his siren call, her hips rotating back of their own accord so that her ass was pressed firmly against his sex, still hard and ready to take her even though she could feel the evidence of his release through the breathable fabric of her dress. _Focus Tara_ , she chastised herself and threw herself back into the task at hand. 

Like exhaling in a rush, she released another flow of healing energy through her palms. This time the effect on her two friends was immediate. Her heart leapt up into her throat as Dhayn clutched her hand to his chest, a low moan rumbling in his throat. She could feel his heart beat getting stronger, and his thoughts began to regain their vibrancy. His eyes fluttered open at the sound of Mel’s sputtering cough. Tara couldn’t catch her breath. She felt like she had been running for miles without cease and had to fight to keep her eyes from drooping as she watched Mel’s face with hopeful expectation.

Mel let out a groan and arched off of the ground, knocking Tara’s hand from her chest. Tara released Tru’s vein and caught herself on the blood soaked earth. The blue light dissipated into the dark night as the connection was broken. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness, but when they did she couldn’t fathom what she saw. Where the bullet hole had been over Mel’s heart there was new flesh—pink and puckered, but miraculously healed. Moving her other hand off of Dhayn’s chest, she sobbed in relief at the sight of his mended wounds. Overwhelmed, she stumbled to catch herself as she panted for breath. Her arms shook beneath her with the weight of trying to hold herself up off of the dirty ground between her two best friends. She faintly heard Dhayn’s voice asking what had happened, but her eyelids were too heavy to keep open and everything seemed so blurry and far away.

As she teetered to the right, strong arms encased her and she was pulled back against Tru’s chest. She let herself sink into the safety and security of his embrace, murmuring her thanks as unconsciousness claimed her.

 _Dear Virgin, she looks edible in her sleep_. Not exactly the thought Tru wanted to have as he sat half naked by Tara’s hospital bed with her best friend and ex-lover pacing back and forth behind him, but she kept making these little moans and parting her lips in the most inviting way. If this had been any other day, and they had been home in their bed, he would have been slipping his tongue between those perfect lips as he slid his cock between the ones down below. His sex hardened at the thought, straining against the seam of the sweatpants he had found in his locker after showering in the locker room. His skin itched with the need to touch every inch of her—his body engorged with all of the juiced up pheromones he held at bay. She had worked him up something fierce in that forest and left him with the worst case of blue balls he had ever experienced, and a desperate need to stake his claim—both of which he could do nothing about. He needed release, and as addicted as he was to the beautiful female laying in front of him, he didn't even know if he could take care of it himself anymore. She held him captive, completely and irrevocably _hers._

“Tara told us that you two were to be mated,” Dhayn spoke up from behind him, his voice sounding a little off.

“Yes.”

Tru couldn’t help his smile. He reached out and slid his hand over Tara’s, linking their fingers and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. A thrill went through him knowing that she had told Dhayn. It meant she was really in this, that she wasn’t waffling anymore. Now if only she would wake up so that they could make it official.

“I can’t wait to have her name on my back.”

“I know how you feel.”

The hairs on the back of Tru’s neck stood on end, his bonding instincts kicking in at the possibility of a challenge over his mate. Dhayn and Tru had made their peace out on that forest floor. After Tara passed out, Tru was the only one left to defend Dhayn and Mel when they were too weak from blood loss to fend for themselves. When the dust settled a silent treaty between them had been forged. Tru had thought part of that understanding was that Dhayn didn’t have feelings for Tara anymore, because if he did, there was no way their fragile friendship could possibly last.

“If all of that back and forth with Tara hadn’t confused the hell out me, I would have asked Mel months ago.”

Tru relaxed his shoulders and breathed a sigh of relief. Life with Bharron had turned him into a male that was always on his guard, always ready for a fight. He was hesitant to hope for a future where those around him had his back.

“When she gets back from the interrogation you should ask her. I can see them wanting to do the ceremony together,” Tru suggested.

“You’d do that?” Dhayn looked truly surprised at the thought.

“If it was what she wanted, yes.”

Dhayn nodded and resumed his pacing, lost in silent speculation. Tru guessed it would take more than one night for the two males to forget the past and trust each other, but he knew how much Tara missed her friends so he had to make an effort to bridge the gap between them. The fact that they had slept with Tara was a hard pill for him to swallow, but knowing what he knew now about Tara’s gifts, he had his own theories about what it would have been like to be around Dhayn and Mel right after they had all gone through transition and she didn’t truly know how to control the intake of other’s emotions. His real concern was why Dhayn had suddenly stopped fighting for her.

“Do you mind if I ask what changed?” Tru questioned, turning to read the other male’s face. Dhayn paused in the middle of the dim-lit room and hooked his thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans. His mis-matched eyes held a far-off look.

“When I woke up and saw you feeding her, all I could think of was if _Mel_ was okay, and when I saw the blood on Mel’s lips it took me a minute to remember that I had given her my vein before passing out. In those sixty seconds I thought of ten different ways I could kill you if it was you who had fed her.”

“Only ten?” Tru laughed lightly.

“Maybe twenty. I saw red,” Dhayn said, smiling. “I guess my reactions just confirmed what I’ve been struggling with for months.”

“You never bonded with Tara,” Tru stated plainly, relieved that Dhayn could finally see it. 

“No, I had feelings for her, and I was torn up over losing our friendship, but I think some part of me always knew she wasn’t _mine_ —not the way Mel is. I was so busy trying to keep her away from you that I couldn’t see it. I thought you were using her to get into the Brotherhood,” he said, looking over Tru’s shoulder at Tara. “I may not be her hellren, but I still love her enough to want to protect her from anyone who would harm her.”

“I would never hurt her.” Tru said honestly. “I would do almost anything for her.”

“Almost?”

“I don’t think I would be able to let her go. If she had chosen you,” Tru paused, his eyes drifting back to his future shellan’s face, “it would have killed me.”

“I hear you, and for what it’s worth I’m sorry for the way I treated you before.”

Dhayn offered Tru his hand and Tru gripped his forearm, pressing their wrists together—a salutation between brothers-in-arms, and an unspoken oath to shed blood for the other in battle. 

Tara moaned again and Tru shivered at the onslaught to his senses.

“Okay, is that you or her?” Dhayn asked, stepping back.

Tru looked at him in question, not sure what he was talking about.

“Ever since she started stirring I’ve been hard as a baseball bat and I keep getting the urge to mount you.”

Dhayn shoved his hands through his short black hair and put some more space between them.

“Well that’s quite a visual,” Tara spoke up from her bed, snapping both of their heads back in her direction.

Her laughter washed over Tru like a healing wave, easing the ache that had been pressing in on him since she fell into his arms on the forest floor. He sprung forward, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, and finally her smiling lips. He pulled back to look into her clear blue eyes and ran a hand over her tangled hair.

“It worked?” Tara asked, barely above a whisper.

She looked up at him with such hope in her eyes they were practically glowing. He moved out of the way so that she could see Dhayn, whole and healed. 

“Mel’s fine too,” he said, stepping up to the side of the bed. “She’s off beating answers out of Lucian.”

Tara’s answering smile was breathtaking, and worth every ounce of pain and discomfort Tru had endured. She reached out her free hand toward Dhayn, and Tru tensed involuntarily, his bonding scent seeping from his skin in silent warning. His apprehension eased when he realized that Dhayn was waiting for his permission. Tru gave a subtle nod and fixed his attention back on Tara. She seemed to have taken in more than their subtle exchange and Tru smiled to himself as he realized he had forgotten about her gifts. 

“I guess a lot has happened while I napped. How long was I out?” Tara asked, looking between them.

“Six hours, give or take,” Tru answered, after glancing at the clock. Damn, it had felt like a lifetime.

“That explains why my bladder is about to burst.”

All three of them chuckled and Tru helped her as she carefully sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. The navy cotton pants and red band t-shirt he had dressed her in after the doctor’s exam were both from Mel, so they fit her well, and were a significant step up from the open backed hospital gown he had refused to put back on her after the doc had finished her tests and concluded that she just needed rest. She was steady as she got to her feet, but that didn’t stop him from supporting her arm and leading her across the small room to the ensuite bathroom. He would have helped her further, but she playfully shoved him back and kissed his cheek before closing herself in. The simple touch resonated on his skin, breathing new life into the embers of desire he had been trying so hard to contain. He pressed his palm against the thin steel door separating them and tried to control his breathing.

“I’m going to see if I can get some sleep before Mel comes home,” Dhayn said from the open door that led out into the hall. They were in one of the recovery suits off of the training facility, so it was only a short walk back to the compound where Dhayn and the others lived. 

“Thanks,” Tru said, knowing full-well that Dhayn wasn’t leaving to go to sleep—he was giving them some time alone, and Tru was surprised and grateful for his unspoken blessing.

“I had to stay until I knew she was okay, but she really only needs you now, and _I_ have to go have a cold shower.”

“Sorry man,” Tru laughed lightly. “I’ll have it under control the next time you see me.”

“Probably a good idea if you want to be anywhere near Mel.” Dhayn grinned and gave a half wave as he shut the door.

Tara splashed some water on her face, and cupped her hand under the running water to bring the cool clean liquid to her parched lips. She swallowed greedily, soothing her dry throat and washing the stale taste from her mouth. After she had had her fill she tapped the faucet with her elbow to turn it off and pulled several paper towels from the nearby dispenser to dry off her hands and face. Feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, Tara turned to face the door. She paused, a fluttering in her belly as the events of the past twenty-four hours finally sunk in. 

Was it finally over? Not just the search for the leaders of the rebellion, but was her own personal battle finally over too? All of the pain, guilt and indecision erased in a hailstorm of blood and tears. She had reached a moment of unadulterated clarity out there in that forest, and waking up to hear peace between Tru and Dhayn—both unspoken and aloud—had eased the near-constant ache she had been living with for months.

She lifted her shields to assess what was going on between the two males in the other room, but Dhayn was gone and she shuddered as she encountered the blazing inferno that was Tru’s lust. Tearing open the door she only had to take one step before she was swept up in his arms. She searched out his lips and melted when they met hers. He devoured her with his kiss, drawing her lower lip into the scorching heat of his mouth and biting down gently, the teasing sting of his fangs making her moan and arch into him. His tongue took command of her mouth, coaxing and teasing her until she was writhing unabashedly against him, her nails digging into his bare back. His hands reached up to cup her breasts through the thin cotton of her shirt, kneading greedily until her nipples were hard points beneath his palms. Everywhere he touched was on fire—his untapped power coursing into her like an erotic electric current. She felt intoxicated by him, dizzy with lust and longing. He turned them around and walked her backward until the backs of her legs hit the mattress of the hospital bed. She lifted her arms as he pulled her shirt up over her head and tossed it to the side. With a rough tug her pants were around her ankles, followed immediately by his. Tara was pleasantly surprised by their mutual lack of underwear as the heavy weight of him bobbed against her stomach. He pressed into her with another hungry kiss and she fell back willingly, sliding onto the small bed as he prowled above her. She reached between them to take hold of his cock—stroking the impressive length of him as she positioned him at her opening. Tru gently took hold of her wrists and lifted them to hold them captive above her head with one of his hands. His other hand slipped between them to stimulate her sex. Within seconds she was keening against his unrelenting lips and submitting to his expert fingers as he brought her over the edge of a sudden explosive orgasm. Far from satiated, she found that she was desperate for more of him, especially when she realized he still hadn’t moved. Her whole body tingled with anticipation as he held himself still, the muscles of her sex grabbing at the crown of him, trying to draw him in deeper. He trailed kisses along her jaw and below her ear, his tongue slipping out to tease the vein that disappeared below her collar bone. Her hunger grew more urgent, her need for him all consuming.

“Please. I need you,” she begged, wiggling against his hold. 

The electrifying scrape of his fangs on her skin was the only warning she got. In one fluid movement he claimed both her vein and her sex, sending them both over the edge into ecstasy. He released her wrists to brace himself and started to thrust in earnest, the hospital bed hitting the wall behind them with each powerful surge. Tara moved with him, riding the waves of sensation as one climax melded into the next. For the first time in their relationship there was truly nothing between them or holding them back and the soul-deep connection Tara felt intensified every touch, every kiss, every mind-blowing climax. Hours later they fell asleep intertwined and satiated on the floor, covered in a thin hospital blanket and surrounded by broken equipment and overturned furniture. The last coherent thought Tara had was wondering if her new healing gift would work on drywall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lover Released is coming to an end within the next 1-2 chapters and I'm hoping to get those to you soon. There wouldn't be a story without your support and encouragement, so thank you again.


	35. Chapter 35

  


The blow Mel delivered to Lucian’s jaw reverberated up her arm, a jolting ache in her knuckles, elbow and wrist, but she absorbed the pain without a wince or a sound. She knew it hurt his face a hell of a lot more than her hand. She would probably feel it all later, but not now, not while that cocky grin still rested on his bleeding lips. 

“I’m going to take immense pleasure in wiping that smile off of your face,” she sneered, cleaning his blood off of her knuckles with a small white towel handed to her by Thrett.

The Commander had been a silent sentry in the room, allowing Mel and Kryhm to run the interrogation, only nodding or shaking his head to indicate if Lucian was telling the truth or lying. His gift was not as far-reaching as Tara’s, but he could read emotions and intent, and that allowed him to tell when he was being lied to—which had been quite a lot since they had started Lucian’s questioning. 

They were all starting to lose their patience, but there were rules, even when it came to interrogating known criminals. Seven of the thirteen council members were overseeing the process via the four overhead cameras mounted in each corner of the room. Each had been verified by the King and Thrett as neutral parties. As the law required, they had started the interrogation by giving Lucian the opportunity to speak his piece in either defence or admission—he had chosen to opt for silence. Then the fun began. Question, time to answer, punish, repeat. 

“Let’s try this again,” Kryhm stepped in front of Lucian, towering over him where he sat, shirtless and restrained to a steel chair. 

Mel had been smiling herself as she bound his wrists and ankles as tight as she could with the manacles attached to the legs of the chair—the metal cuffs digging into his skin at the slightest movement. 

“Who else is involved with the rebellion?” Kryhm continued, clenching and unclenching his fists at his sides.

“There is no rebellion,” Lucian drawled, locking on to Mel’s eyes as he lied again. 

Mel didn’t need to look at Thrett for confirmation, it was the same answer he had given the last three times they had asked it. His face was swollen from a shattered cheekbone and blood dripped sluggishly from a cut above his left eye—paired with a broken nose, and a split lip he looked like he had a run-in with a truck. His loyalty to Bharron and the others was almost impressive. He hadn’t lasted half as long before he admitted to killing Phyrie—granted they did break two of his ribs. 

He had hoped to marry into the Brotherhood through her and when she turned him down he decided no one else would have her either—but not before he claimed what he perceived to be rightfully his. Thrett had needed to hold Mel and Kryhm back from separating Lucian’s head from his body. Seeing how his words affected her made Lucian crass and loose-lipped about her sister’s death, which earned him that broken nose, but he wouldn’t tell them anything about his fellow rebels or their leader. 

Of course, they already knew that Bharron was in charge, his interrogation would begin as soon as Tara was well enough to pry open his fucked up brain, but if they wanted to bring in the other rebels before they went into hiding they had to get names, and fast. They hadn’t told him that his leader was a few cells away, bound in a similar fashion. He probably thought that Bharron was going to get him out of the mess he was in, and they weren’t going to take away that shred of hope if they could help it. If he realized just how dire his situation was, he would have no motivation to talk at all. For what he had done and been involved with he would be facing execution, and without a get out of jail card from the head council member, he was a dead male. That left pain as a motivator. 

The air whooshed out of Lucian in a rush as Kryhm buried his fist into his stomach. With the wind knocked out of him, he struggled to get his lungs to inflate, straining pointlessly against his bindings. The small cement room was eerily quiet as they waited for him to take a breath. They were a mile beneath the ground in an isolation room built for interrogation and imprisonment. A toilet sat in one corner and a mattress was propped up against the opposite wall. The light grey paint from floor to ceiling was bleached white by stark fluorescent lighting. When they left they would take the chair with them and Lucian would await sentencing in the eight by eight cell. If Mel remained a Warrior, one of her duties could be patrolling the halls of the underground prison and the cemetery that hid the entrance on the surface.

A gasp broke the silence, and then Lucian was coughing in long wheezy barks. His coughs turned into harsh laughter and the sound crawled up Mel’s spine until she was shaking as nausea gripped her throat. A lifetime of nightmares had been filled with that laugh. _A dark alley. The smell of garbage and urine. Blood blooming like a morbid rose over Phy’s heart._

“You look just like her; same great tits, same terrified look in your eyes,” Lucian goaded, his eyes heavy-lidded as he exposed his elongated fangs.

Mel snapped out of it, dousing her lingering memories with a good dose of rage. She glared at her sister’s killer and the tremors racking her body ceased. Walking slowly forward she visualized every possible way she could make him feel pain. She settled on the most fitting penance for what he had done to her sister.

“Give me names, or I break another bone,” she said, lowering her voice into a seductive purr. 

She crouched down in front of him and flashed him her own fangs. Movement behind the fly of his jeans had bile rising in her throat. She suppressed a shudder of revulsion and dared him with her eyes to lie to her again.

“I could think of other things you could do with my bone,” he said with a cocky grin.

Mel heard her sire growl from behind her, but she didn’t glance back. Placing her left hand on Lucian’s knee she dug her nails into his thigh as she slowly inched toward his crotch. He hissed through his teeth and his pupils dilated in excitement. It always amazed Mel how stupid males could be when their blood travelled south.

“Is that your final answer?”

“Turn about is fair play little vixen, and I’m going to enjoy tying you up and…FUCK!”

With a swift grab and twist and a satisfying crack she hadn’t known was possible, Mel reduced Lucian to a screaming pig. She released his deformed erection and dodged out of the way as his writhing sent both him and his chair over backward. Mel turned to find both Kryhm and Thrett looking a little pale, but neither of them reprimanded her methods or offered to help her pick Lucian up off the floor. The veins in his neck were bulging out and his skin was beet red as he thrashed against the metal cuffs restraining him to the chair. A constant string of nearly unrecognizable cussing spewed out of his mouth as she gripped the back of the chair and hoisted him back upright. The jolt of all four legs hitting the ground drew another agonized shout out of him, and Mel had to fight back her satisfied grin.

“Answer the fucking question!” she demanded, standing her ground in front of him. “Or are you ready for more foreplay?”

“Elldrihk, son of Ashur; Cohl son of Niklaus; Ryhth son of Rehnshaw; Hrodland son of Roche…” Lucian spewed out names in a long agonized rush. 

His words turned into gibberish after close to twenty names, some of whom Mel knew to be among the casualties of the night’s attacks. Looking over her shoulder once again Mel didn’t know whether to be pleased or disappointed when Thrett nodded to confirm the truth behind Lucian’s admission—she didn’t feel as though enough blood had been shed to cleanse the pain of what he had done. The sudden silence in the room signalled Lucian’s loss of consciousness. Mel looked to her sire for their next move.

He knocked on the locked door and slipped out when it was opened for him. Moments later he returned with a large pail of water. Kryhm approached the slumped over male with a chilling stillness and control to his stride. He emptied the entire bucket over Lucian’s head and tossed it to the side. Lucian came to with a gurgling cough and a loud groan of anguish. When he had returned to some version of coherency Mel could see the dawning of fear widening his eyes and a thrill went through her. Kryhm grabbed hold of Lucian’s chin and forced his eyes to meet his own.

“You’ve been very helpful. We’ll be sure to tell Bharron how cooperative you’ve been,” he said with a satisfied grin.

The blood drained completely from Lucian’s face as the words sunk in and his reality shifted into place.

“I look forward to our next meeting,” he continued, unsheathing his black dagger from the holster on his back and pressing the lethal tip to the heaving chest of their prisoner. “I will enjoy watching you die.”

  


*********

  


Tara would be lying if she said that she wasn’t nervous as she stood in an elevator with her sire, her future hellren, and the King of their race with a medium-sized golden retriever at the his side. The three males towered over her in the small space and none had said a word since the debriefing at the compound. She could sense the tension and unease surrounding her, which amped up her own anxiety. This was going to be a long night.

The elevator chimed and the steel doors slid open. Tara shook off the creepy feeling lingering between her shoulders and followed the others through a lifeless grey waiting room and adjoining security check. The male guard manning the locked steel reinforced doors bowed in respect to the King and nodded at the rest of them in turn. Tara returned the gesture and breathed a sigh of relief at the honest reverence emanating from his thoughts. It was good to know the male keeping the bad guys at bay was solidly on their side. 

She tried not to dwell on the desolate feelings the permeated the hallways they walked down, but every living being behind each of the steel reinforced doors they walked by was isolated and afraid or hopeless. They couldn’t hear or see the four vampires passing by their cells, they could only hear their own thoughts and see the blank walls surrounding them. It was terribly depressing and Tara was forced to put her shields in place to maintain focus. 

The underground prison was surprisingly large though many of the cells were vacant—death was still the main recourse for crimes within their society. Tara had only walked down three hallways lined with ten doors on either side, but she knew from in-class training that it stretched out over six acres of land. The multilevel facility was built to contain any threat to the vampire race and though they all hoped to never need such a vast stronghold they would not let the present absence of a threat cripple them should they ever face a time of war. In the next few days many of those cells would be occupied by the remaining members of the rebellion, that is if Tara could manage the task they were asking of her. Some would serve out a century or more in solitude for their involvement, others would face the fade for crimes against their race and their king. 

The group stopped outside of a guarded door. The male standing at arms, Jehrricoh, was one she knew well. He had taught her everything she knew about hand-to-hand combat. She gave him a subtle bow of her head in respect and took a deep breath as he smiled in return. Tara wasn’t at all thrilled to have another male she looked up to watching over her first real interrogation, but she swallowed back her apprehension and face the door as Thrett punched in a code and pushed it aside.

The male sitting manacled to the metal chair in the centre of the small cell was every bit the cut-throat business mogul that had sat at the head of the table in his large white colonial house. His head was held high on his Armani-clad shoulders and the stern cut of his jaw never altered as the King and Tara’s sire entered the cell and the door closed behind them. Tara walked with Tru and Jehrricoh into a room across the hall, leaving the king’s dog to stare intently at the closed door. The tiny office space they entered was set up with three chairs behind an interactive desk that faced floor to ceiling monitors. All of the screens were filled with different angles of the cell across the hall, giving her the physical sight to add to her mental one. She took the central seat that was offered to her by Tru and focused in on the minds of the males in the cell. The king was a veritable fortress and Bharron had closed off his mind as she had expected, but her sire’s mind was open to her.

Thrett’s mental signature was easy for her to hone in on—his was the first mind she had read, and later influenced. He had been the one to discover the early onset of her gifts and then tutor her by becoming her first test subject. Tara glanced at Tru, thinking of a very different training session on the floor in front of a fire…

“Keep looking at me like that and this interrogation is going to need an early recess princess,” Tru drawled with a sly grin. 

He was picturing her bound to one of those chairs while he had his wicked way with her. Tara widened her eyes and felt a blush spread over her cheeks. She motioned subtly toward their former instructor and tried to shake the image from her mind. 

“Bharron son of Khawnor you are being charged with high treason, espionage, murder, aggravated kidnapping, and extortion. What say you?” Thrett started the interrogation, his words coming through the sound system around her, as well as through their mental connection. Moments passed and Bharron sat motionless, staring at the camera within his line of sight. His rage was palpable.

“Not even going to say a word in your own defence?” Thrett prodded. 

“You have nothing, and you will answer to the council for this,” Bharron said with an icy calm.

“You are an arrogant son of a bitch you know that Bhar?” Thrett said. “Did you really think you could try to start a civil war and not get your own hands dirty?”

“I have nothing to do with any war Thrett. That you and your pack of soldiers find the need to pin the unrest of the glymera on me just goes to show how desperate you’re becoming for a scapegoat.” 

“Tread carefully.” The king cut in, tremors of righteous anger rippling out from under his mental shields.

“I meant no disrespect my king.” Bharron bowed his head in a show of respect Tara knew he did not feel. “I only propose the notion that maybe the problem is not the missing civilians, but the so-called protectors that are failing to keep the peace.” Bharron responded.

“Peace is impossible if we are working against each other.” Thrett pointed out.

“Why can’t we all just get along?” Bharron role his eyes.

“We could you know.” Thrett ignored his sarcasm. “Our society has grown and taken great strides in the past century and you threaten to undo all of the progress we have made; for what? For more power? You really think that our people would follow you?” 

Bharron squared his shoulders and stared into another one of the four mounted cameras in the room. 

“I would never challenge the king. I only strive to lead justly and serve the best interests of the _glymera_ and the civilians of the new country within the role they have elected me to fulfill. I can respect that you had to follow whatever miss-guided lead brought you to me as this so-called conspirator, but I can assure you that I have done nothing wrong, and I am sure my co-council members can attest to my good character and support of our political system.”

“Damn, he’s good,” Tara said aloud. 

The male was reminding the council members he knew would be watching just who it was they were accusing and what it would mean if they were wrong. If they were wrong, but they weren’t. 

“You were a promising recruit; strong, smart, driven, and as you’ve pointed out, you’re a strong leader. It must drive a male like you crazy not knowing why you weren’t sworn in as one of us.” The king’s unprompted statement shook Bharron’s composure, letting a bit of his weariness seep out for Thrett and Tara to feel.

“I wasn’t nominated.” The bitterness, both in his tone and lacing his thoughts clashed with the calm demeanour her was trying to maintain.

“Yes you were, Krush nominated you as soon as his scars were sealed.”

That revelation shot through Bharron’s shields and started a ripple effect of uncontrolled emotions—guilt, regret, fear and confusion. Tara probed her way into his subconscious as the affirmation of his part in Krush’s death played out before her. 

“What was it then?”

“You knocked yourself out of the game. You only wanted the title of _Brotherhood_ to stroke your ego and bolster your pedigree, a fact that became blatantly clear near the end of your training.”

Tara probably wasn’t supposed to know the information she was getting from her sire’s open mind—that the final test was an offer to become a full-time Warrior, and that the subsequent reaction determined whether or not you would receive an invitation into the Brotherhood. 

_You are going to have to keep that information to yourself Tehrrify,_ Tru warned. She reassured him silently 

“My bloodline doesn’t need your affirmation to remain strong. We are males of worth with or without a black dagger.” Bharron said.

 _“Your bloodline exists because of me and mine.”_ The king spoke in the old language.

There was a tense moment where the room fell silent and Bharron struggled to keep his mouth shut. He was reeling with indignation and pride. He believed that the king was holding his bloodline back, that he would deny Tru for the same reason that he was denied—still too stubborn to see his own fault in his failings. Tara passed that information onto Thrett.

“I wonder, what will fuel your misguided rage once your own son is sworn in as one of us, and your unfounded accusations of prejudice are proven false?” Thrett asked.

Tara and Tru both stiffened in their seats.

“Was that an interrogation tactic or was he being serious?” Tru asked

 _That, you will also keep to yourself Tehrrify_ , Thrett spoke sternly through their connection, realizing she had seen the truth in his mind. Tara worked to keep her expression from changing while her heart raced in excitement. Tru would be a _brother_ by years end Virgin-willing.

“You know I can’t tell you that,” she said aloud, grateful that her voice was steady.

“What is your plan here?” Bharron spoke up finally, putting on a bravado he didn’t truly feel.

“This is a courtesy extended to you as a member of the council. To tell the truth—to explain yourself,” Thrett answered.

“The truth is that I have done nothing wrong and no matter how many lies you throw my way, or how many of my bones you break, I will not incriminate myself.”

“That’s it?” Thrett replied. “No justification for your actions, or even a plea of temporary—albeit decades long—insanity?”

“I’ve done nothing wrong besides voice my waning faith in the _brotherhood_ system. Apparently that gives you the right to abduct and harass me.”

“Denial, so original.” 

Thrett reached out and gave Tara the go ahead to join them. She nodded even though he couldn’t see her, and rose shakily to her feet. The males stood in response. Glancing sideways at Tru she felt her stomach knot. _You’re sure this is what you want?_ She asked him. _He’s your sire and I’m about to condemn him to death_. Tru didn’t answer out loud—he opened up his thoughts to her so that she could see his resolve. He was at peace with what needed to be done. They had talked about it at length before coming to the holding cells, but she needed his reassurance that this wasn’t going to come between them. Tru reached out and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. _I love you_ , he thought loud and clear.

Tara grabbed the chair she had been using and took it with her across the hall and waited while Jehrricoh disengaged the locks and opened the door to Bharron’s cell. He was surprised to see her, his thoughts mirroring the confused look on his face. She could tell the moment he caught a glimpse of Tru in the hallway before the door shut behind her. His body went rigid and his thoughts spun in a whirlwind of betrayal and anger. He worked to keep his face from showing the riot of emotions he held at bay, but in present company it was a pointless battle.

“This is my daughter, Tehrrify. She is going to get the answers we need in order to bring in the rest of the co-conspirators,” Thrett spoke directly at the camera in the far right corner of the room. 

The cell felt claustrophobic with the four of them locked in together. The whitewashed space was too bright for the darkness that weighed heavy on them, infusing the air with aggression and hatred. Bharron glared at her with tight lips, scrutinizing every detail from the top of her tight ponytail to the steel toes of her boots. He wondered if she shared her sire’s gifts or if they planned on letting her torture the information out of him. She wished it had been the latter. After seeing the pain this male had caused Tru and the rest of his family, she wanted nothing more than to seek vengeance with her fists, but she would have to settle with tearing his mind apart instead. She withdrew a syringe from the inner pocket of her leather jacket and popped off the protective cap. Bharron’s panic spiked momentarily but his face barely registered his accelerating heart or jittery nerves, a small intake of breath was the only indication that he had even noticed the needle. 

“A little something to help you tell the truth,” Tara explained. “You shouldn’t have any objections, seeing as how you have nothing to hide, correct?”

He clenched his jaw and squared his shoulders, neither confirming nor denying her statement. He held perfectly still as she stabbed the syringe into his neck with more force than necessary and slowly injected the saline solution. The small spot of blood that appeared when she withdrew the needle made her wish Thrett had given her more than one ‘dose’ just to have the excuse to stab him again. The useless syringe was a ruse to hide her gifts. Her sire wanted to keep her gifts hidden for as long as possible, even from the members of the council, and the King had granted his request to do so. It was the wise thing to do, the safe thing, and Tara was grateful that Thrett had been looking out for her, even if she wished she had thought of it herself. Replacing the cap, she returned the empty syringe to her pocket and faced the determined male who still held his chin up, as though he was in control even manacled to a chair.

“Bharron, who do you trust?” she asked, setting the chair down backward in front of him so that she could straddle it while she faced him, putting the steel backrest against her chest between them like a shield.

“No one,” he replied evenly.

“Oh come on, there has to be someone that shares your secrets,” Tara hedged, placing her right hand on his knee.

The contact brought his mind into sharper focus. He stiffened at her touch and instinctually his mind began to raise barriers against a possible attack. Too bad she was already in. 

“Lucian wasn’t your only ally, who are the others?”

He tried to keep his mind blank and focus on his breathing to even out his heart rate before answering, like a human trying to beat a polygraph. Every face he tried not to think of filtered out of his mind and into hers. She fed each in turn to her sire and the king. She recognized a couple, but not all were known to her. She had to hope the other males would know who his accomplices were.

“I don’t know why you would call him my ally. If he is part of the rebellion that is of his own volition. He’s on my security detail, in charge of keeping me and mine safe. What he did off the clock should not condemn me.”

“Are any more members of the council involved in the rebellion?” Tara continued, ignoring his carefully worded lies.

Again she passed along the information he was holding back, surprised at the male he had inadvertently revealed as a traitor. A long time supporter of the training program and a male of high esteem in the _glymera_.

“The council would never rebel against our king!”

Tara rolled her eyes. This was going to take forever if they were relying on any form of cooperation from him. She eased into his mind further, pushing aside his shields and anchoring herself in his subconscious. The more she used her gift the more fluent she became in the language of the mind. It was like a sixth sense—like a phantom limb that could reach in to grasp and mold the unseen. Tara channeled a strong sense of calm into Bharron’s mind, urging him into a trusting, willing frame of mind.

“If you die, who takes over?”

“If I die, the rebellion dies. None of the other males have the drive or the dominance to spearhead the upheaval of the _brotherhood_.”

Tara eased his alarm at admitting his guilt and coaxed him to keep talking.

“Lucian was promising, but if you already have him then the only other possibility is Gharrette and he’ll buckle at the first sign of aggression from the _brothers_.”

Cut the head off the beast and the body with fall. It was crazy to think that someone as smart and as driven as Bharron would be so easily defeated. Then again, he couldn’t protect himself from what he didn’t know existed, and he sure as fuck had never encountered anything like Tara in his lifetime. If she hadn’t been snooping through his thoughts during their first dinner, hell if she hadn’t been paired up with Tru to begin with, how many more civilians and _brothers_ would have gone missing? How many would have died before suspicion was cast his way? She wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole fate deal, but it was hard not to believe in destiny when it was staring her right in the face.

“Are you holding anyone else captive?” she asked thinking of all of the citizens that remained missing.

“No, Lucinda was our pièce de résistance. The ripple effect of her capture and liberation has spread unrest like a virus through the _glymera_.”

He spoke of that female’s tragedy like a work of art, his chest swelling with pride. It was nauseating how cavalier he could be about kidnapping and colluding with the _lessers_. He was so far removed from reality, that he didn’t see the hypocrisy he was committing against his own cause; to protect the citizens of the new world.

“Where is Klash?” the King’s voice cut through the room like a blade of ice, rousing Bharron’s panic until she soothed him back into complacency. 

“His ashes were buried beside his sire’s. The Scribe Virgin would not have looked kindly on our cause had I not given him that honour.”

This surprised Tara, she had assumed, as everyone else had, that the brother had been killed, but she had not expected the killers to honour him in death. 

“And murdering one of her soldiers would garner her favour?” Tara asked.

“It was a fair fight, not murder, as was the case with the civilian casualties. They were all given weapons and the option to fight for their freedom. Lucian was simply a better fighter than most.”

Leave it to Bharron to find a twisted loophole to excuse the killing of innocent civilians.

“Most?” 

“Zaikai used his wits to gain the upper hand in his duel, but he opted to join our cause when I stepped in and offered him the option.”

Dammit. Zaik had been young, only a year or two older than Tara. How many more had been swayed by Bharron’s web of lies and deceit? 

“You seem proud of that recruit, how about the others? Tell me about those who fight with you.”

And he did. His mind fell lax under her persuasion and he spilled like an overturned pitcher, leaking any and all information that they needed to dismantle what was left of his rebellion.

By the time his words ran dry and they ran out of questions to prod him with, Tara’s body had begun to tremor and tiredness weighed on her as though she had been treading water fully clothed. The mental energy it took to maintain his willingness to cooperate drained her like an open vein. When the king addressed those watching the video feed, signalling the end of the interrogation, Thrett came forward to help her up from her chair where she leaned heavily against the backrest supporting her chest. The moment she lifted her hand from Bharron’s knee she retreated from his mind also, letting go of the reins so that he could shake himself free from her influence. The dawning fright that overtook him made him gasp aloud. She smiled at his wide-eyed look of panic and wanted to lambaste him with fear until his very heart was seized with terror, and maybe if she wasn’t so drained she would have done so, but now the law would run it’s course—the very rules Bharron had helped govern their citizens with would be his undoing. 

Pulling together her last ounce of strength, she straightened her spine and walked out of the room, thankful that the door was opened for her as she wasn’t sure she could have held herself up a moment longer. Her knees gave out the minute the door shut behind her. Unfamiliar arms caught her and kept her from hitting the cold concrete floor. She fought back the darkness that rimmed her vision, hating the weakness and vulnerability of unconsciousness. The low rumbling growl that pierced through the silence of the hallway quickened her heart rate and brought the profile of Jehrricoh’s face into focus. Without the energy to maintain her own shields, she was subject to his wariness and the barely tapped rage that inspired it. She followed the direction of the predatory noise and found Tru crouched and ready to pounce from the doorway of the monitoring station, his fangs fully exposed and a murderous look in his eyes. Her body reacted immediately, a shiver running over her skin until every hair stood on end, even as heat began to bloom in her core.

“Just preventing a concussion, no harm intended son,” Jehrricoh said evenly. 

He carefully braced her back against the wall and stepped back with his hands outstretched to mirror the look of caution in his eyes. She could tell he was unsure of whether she could hold herself up, but no one voluntarily stands between a bonded male and his mate. Her head lolled back against the cold cement block wall but her eyes were fixed on the barely visible pulsing that caused Tru’s carotid to swell with each beat of his heart. Her fangs tingled as they slowly descended, her need for his vein becoming her sole focus. 

“Every inch of this place is monitored 24/7 so unless you want an audience you might want to take this party elsewhere.”

The words had barely left Jehrricoh’s lips when Tara was swooped up into Tru’s arms and being carried, bridal-style down the hallway toward the elevator they had taken down from the surface. Within the comfort and safety of his embrace the adrenaline that had kept her alert started to wane, and her eyelids became heavier with each blink. Closed and open cell doors blurred by, the thoughts and emotions of the prisoners flitting in and out of her mind as Tru raced them toward their exit. 

She must have drifted off while he navigated the final hallway, because the sudden shift of the elevator starting its climb to the surface startled her awake. She attempted to wiggle free from Tru’s hold on her, but he just tightened his grip. Tara lifted her head to meet his eyes, but he was staring stoically at the numbers above the elevator doors. She reached up with her free hand and ran the back of her fingers along his jawline, still smooth from that evening's shave. He flinched slightly and his jaw clenched beneath her touch, but he didn’t turn to meet her eyes. Fear spiked through her, stripping away the lingering tiredness as her stomach knotted with anxiety. 

“Are you angry?” she asked, wishing she had the mental energy left to seek out the truth herself.

“No, why would I be angry?” he replied, still watching the numbers as they slowly counted down to one. 

“I just exposed your sire to the _king_ and the council,” she explained to the side of his face.

“And?”

“And, now you won’t look at me.”

“If I look at you, I’ll take you right here in this elevator.”

Tru laughed and hugged her against his hard chest. She could feel the thick muscles of his biceps as they flexed beneath her thighs and her upper back. His words sunk in and she swallowed back a moan as he lifted his mental shields and let her feel the riot of sexual energy coursing through his mind and body. Tara threw her head back as her sex came alive like a lit match to a fuse, igniting every pleasure centre she had until she was squirming and pressing her thighs together in a desperate attempt to release the pressure that was building up inside of her. 

“Hold still,” Tru ground out through clenched teeth.

The command made her inner walls clench in anticipation and she struggled to hold back the full-body shiver that was building at the base of her spine. The elevator pinged to announce their arrival at the ground level and again Tru burst forward like a horse out of the gate, barely pausing to get clearance from the Warriors posted at the exit before shouldering his way into and through the mausoleum that hid the entrance to the facility. 

The cool night air brushed her face like a caress as he navigated swiftly around tombstones and statues until they reached the small lot where his truck was parked next to Thrett’s Jeep. Tru lowered her legs to the ground but kept her by his side as he wrenched open the door to the extended cab and hurriedly cleared off the bench seat with an aggressive swipe of his arm than sent his gym bag and empty sports drink bottles crashing to the floor of the truck. His eagerness was held at bay as he helped her carefully into the back seat—crowding in after her and closing them in. 

Her heart was pounding and her breaths came in shallow gasps as his large body shifted them both until she was straddling his lap with her back to the windshield. Safely hidden behind steel and black tinted bullet-proof windows, she finally let her lightheadedness get the better of her and fell forward into Tru. Her body sunk into him as her lips sought out the sustenance she needed. The pulsing of his blood beneath the soft skin of his throat was a siren call to her weakened body and she answered it by sinking her fangs into his flesh and taking in everything he could give her. The dark spice of his bonding scent enveloped her as the power of his life-blood began to rejuvenate her mind and body. As her strength returned with each swallow so did the aching desire pulsing from deep within. 

Breaking away and drawing in a steadying breath, she reached between them and fumbled with the fly of his jeans in a futile effort to free the hard length she could feel pressing into her through the layers of denim between them. Tru stilled her shaking hands with one of his own—shuddering as their skin came into contact. The reverberations of lust that Tru could no longer keep suppressed began to seep into her, until she was panting with the need to be filled by him. With deft fingers he released the button and lowered his zipper with a roll of his hips that pressed his erection more firmly against her aching sex. Tara moved forward, rising up on her knees on either side of his spread thighs to allow him the room he needed to push the waist of his pants down. She grasped his face and pressed her lips eagerly to his. His hungry mouth slowly moved with hers, parting so that he could sweep his tongue between her lips to tease her own. She got lost in his kiss, his soft lips, his scorching need pulling her deeper with every second. The pulsing of her sex was reaching critical mass when Tru broke away by lifting his chin. Tara continued to place kisses along his jaw and down his neck, pausing over her bite mark to lick the drops of blood that remained, and sealing the punctures she had left there. He trembled beneath her.

“Are you particularly attached to these jeans?” he asked, his voice thick with need.

“No, not really,” Tara answered, already knowing where his mind was at.

The loud tearing noise of her jeans splitting down the centre seam was one she had heard before and would never get tired of. The fact that he couldn’t even wait the fifteen seconds it would take to remove her pants was one hell of a confidence booster. She smiled against his collarbone as he slipped his hand between them and caressed her exposed sex with his long fingers, teasing her with slow exploring strokes and shallow thrusts that drove her crazy. She was greedy for him by the time he brought his erection to her opening. He continued to tease her with shallow strokes, only giving her the head of him. Taking matters into her own hands, Tara sat back suddenly, taking in as much of him as she could.

Tru cried out and bucked beneath her, driving into her further until the fullness kissed the line of pleasure and pain. She used his shoulders for balance and took control of their movements, smiling as she watched him try to hold back his orgasm. Increasing her tempo she found the perfect rhythm and within moments she was falling over the edge, her inner muscles gripping him like a fist. He came with a shout, thrusting his shaft up into her as he spilled his seed.

She collapsed against his chest, her heart rate easing back to normal as his hand swept beneath her shirt and drew lazy circles on her back. She let out a contented sigh. 

With their minds open and their bodies entwined there was a sense of oneness that gave Tara both a peace and a strength she hadn’t even known was possible. She felt invincible, centred and grounded; like she could take on anything the world could throw her way. But first, she would take this male, and make him hers forever.


	36. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter of Lover Released. The two couples start their happily ever afters.

 

Mel felt ridiculous in the ruby red silk gown her mahmen had squeezed her into. The corset was too tight, there were about five too many layers of skirting flowing out from the empire waist, and her breasts were almost completely exposed by the low-cut neckline. It was the same dress her mahmen had worn on her mating day, but Cynthia hadn’t had half the curves Mel did. She looked like slutty Victorian Barbie. At least the neckline showed off the starburst scar above her heart. She was damn proud of becoming part of the brotherhood and today of all days she needed a reminder that she was one bad-ass chick.

Cynthia looked perfect as usual in her classic wine-coloured designer gown as she flitted about her suite where they were getting ready, directing their doggen Marie to fix an imperfect curl in Mel’s upswept hair, or to add a little more rouge to her already made-up face. It had seemed like a nice gesture when she agreed to wear the gown, one to help appease a mahmen who was still reeling over her only child choosing the life of a _brother,_ but Mel was having an increasingly difficult time acting happy about the whole situation.

She passed her weight back and forth between each foot, her legs growing tired of standing after an hour of her mahmen’s primping. Sitting had been out of the question once they dressed her in thirty pounds of silk and linen—heaven forbid there should be a single wrinkle. 

Her only enjoyment had been watching Tara go through the process along with her—although she didn’t seem to mind nearly as much. She was probably hiding how truly excited she was in solidarity. 

Tara’s chestnut locks cascaded down to her mid-back in a curtain of soft curls. The soft style looked elegant and ethereal when paired with her cap-sleeved gown of champagne and red. It had gold embroidery decorating the champagne bodice and skirting and trimming the hems and waistline. Her dress had been custom made to match the era of the one Mel wore—by Tara’s request. The high waist suited Tara’s tall slender frame and the deep crimson train gave her a regal air. Sure, Mel was covered in a different shade of the same colour, but there was no way she could look half as good as her best friend.

“D is going to ruin that dress if you’re not careful,” Tara stage whispered as Cynthia rummaged through her jewelry armoire.

“If your mahmen wants it back in one piece you might want to undress yourself.” She tried to cover her laugh as Cynthia and Marie approached with their hands full of gold and priceless gems.

“It can be mended,”Cynthia said plainly, holding up an elaborate choker comprised of thin gold chains looping between black pearls and rubies in a delicate web. “Virgin knows the seamstress had her work cut out for her after Kryhm got to it.”

Tara burst out laughing while Mel’s mouth dropped open in shock. 

“So not a visual I ever wanted to have,” Mel said, succumbing to Tara’s infectious laugh. 

“Right, your father and I are just friends and you were adopted,” Cynthia mocked.

Mel smiled and leaned forward for her mahmen to secure the clasp at the back of her neck. The necklace rested heavily between her collarbones, with the lowest point resting between the swells of her breasts, making her feel a little less naked. She also felt a little like a christmas tree.

“Stunning,” Tara said, looking directly into Mel’s eyes as if she had heard her insecure thoughts. Which of course, she probably had.

 _I’m sorry Tara. Am I wrecking this for you?_ Mel gave her an apologetic smile, wishing she could be more excited about their mating day—that she could push aside her awkwardness and insecurities and just be happy that they were both about to mate the males they loved.

 _Do you want me to help you?_ Tara’s mental voice soothed Mel’s nerves like a shot of whiskey, warming her from the inside. 

She nodded her head and opened herself up to her friend’s influence. She was expecting a false sense of calm and happiness, but what she got was a glimpse of how Tara saw her. In her friend’s eyes she was a beauty to envy and a picture of grace. Tara let her feel her happiness, not just of getting mated, but of sharing the moment with Mel. She was honoured and humbled that Mel and Dhayn would forgive her so completely, and that they had accepted Tru into their world with open arms. The love filtering through their connection gave Mel a true sense of happiness that she knew was her own, not a manipulation. 

Smiling in ernest, she admired the large solitary ruby Cynthia had hung around Tara’s delicate neck. The simple teardrop setting complimented both Tara and her dress perfectly, she had to admit her mahmen really was quite good at what she did.

A knock at the door brought all eyes around as Kryhm ducked in with his gaze averted in propriety. Cynthia rushed over and righted his face, a flush of excitement on her cheeks and a joyful smile lighting up her eyes as she brushed invisible lint off of his traditional black satin ceremonial robe. With her hangups securely shelved, Mel could see how truly happy this day was for Cynthia, and something inside of her eased at bringing that smile to her mahmen’s lips. 

“Time for me to take you downstairs my shellan,” he said, grazing his thumb over one cheekbone and gently holding Cynthia’s chin while he placed a soft kiss to her lips. 

Cynthia reluctantly broke away from her mate and gave the girls one last look-over. Nodding her approval, she air kissed them both in turn and looped her arm through Kryhm’s as he led her out the door with Marie in their wake. 

Mel smiled and turned toward Tara as the female came to stand beside her. They clasped hands and sighed in unison, causing them both to giggle. 

“You ready for this?” Tara asked squeezing her palm gently.

“Are you kidding? I was ready months ago. If we hadn’t involved my mahmen we would both be hitched by now,” Mel replied lightheartedly.

“Ah, but then none of our friends and family would have had the chance to see the look on D’s face when he sees you in that dress.”

“As long as he doesn’t laugh, cause I’d hate to have to kick his ass in front of a crowd,” Mel laughed. 

“I might have to make that happen, just to see the look on your mahmen’s face.”

“Don’t you dare,” Mel warned. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Tara giggled and swung their linked hands as they walked together out of the room.

 

* * *

 

 

Dhayn smoothed his hands over the silky satin of his black ceremonial robe and tightened the sash at his waist unnecessarily.It was hard not to be antsy with fifty people staring at you, but at least Mel had cut her mahmen off before the whole glymera was invited. The night was warm and the garden he stood in with Tru and their _brothers_ was alive with night-blooming flowers and the soft glow of hundreds of candles. There was lighthearted conversation and the buzz of anticipation from those gathered in the garden on the vast lawns of the estate once owned by Bharron son of Khawnor. The property now belonged to Tru’s mahmen, Lydia and she was practically glowing herself as she wove through the small crowd of family and friends playing the role of hostess to perfection. 

A hush descended over the crowd as a small figure draped in black silk appeared amongst the warriors, the light spilling out from under her robes denoting her as the mother of their race. The brothers settled into formation and bowed their heads in respect. Dhayn had seen her once before at his and Tru’s initiation ceremony, but he was still just as shaken to be in the presence of a deity as he was the first time. The power emanating from her was a tangible thing, making his pulse spike and his hairs stand on end.

Dhayn’s attention was diverted by the arrival of his future in-laws. They had dematerialized over from the compound where the girls were getting ready, which meant his mate would soon follow. 

“Here come the brides,” Tru whispered from his left, his eyes locked on the flowered archway where the girls would enter.

Like something out of a dream his Mel appeared hand-in-hand with Tara and he lost the ability to speak, to think, to even breathe. She searched the crowd until she found him and when their eyes met a slow smile took over her captivating face. They walked forward slowly and Dhayn’s muscles began to twitch with the need to run to her. Sweet virgin she looked edible in that crimson gown. 

Tru moved toward the girls as they came closer and kissed both of Tara’s cheeks, claiming her free hand in his. Dhayn shook free from his stupor and did the same with Mel. She stifled a laugh and gave his hand a squeeze. Turning, they all sobered as they approached the Scribe Virgin. 

Dhayn stepped forward to make the presentation first, eager to get his shellan’s name on his back and lay her out on hers’ until sunrise.

“Scribe Virgin, this is Mehlisha, daughter of the Black Dagger warrior Kryhm, granddaughter of the Black Dagger warrior Challehnger, great-granddaughter of the Black Dagger warrior Kryhm…” Dhayn calmly listed Mel’s lineage back ten generations. When the list was complete the Scribe Virgin looked to Mel.

“This male asks that you accept him as your hellren. Would you have him as your own if he is worthy?”

“Yes, I will.”

The Scribe Virgin nodded. "Warrior, this female will consider you. Will you prove yourself for her?"

"I will." Dhayn said with pride.

"Will you sacrifice yourself for her?"

"I will."

"Will you defend her against those who would seek to harm her?"

"I will.”

“Give me your hands.”

Dhayn and Mel offered their hands palm up and the black folds of fabric enveloped them. Warm currents seeped into his skin and a tingle ran up his spine.

“This is a very good mating.”

They stepped back after she released their hands, and Dhayn swept Mel up into his arms and hugged her tight as Tru presented Tara as his mate. Setting Mel back on her feet, Dhayn loosened the sash at his waist and moved over to stand in front of the small table off to the side that was set with two crystal bowls full of salt, two pitchers of water, and two small lacquer boxes on it.

Time to make things official.

 

* * *

 

 

Tara and Mel held tightly to each other’s hands as Tru knelt beside Dhayn. Both males were naked from the waist up and Tara ran her eyes over the smooth skin of Tru’s back reverently, knowing it would soon be marked with her name from this night until his last. The brothers who were assembled to perform the mating ritual rested their hands on their black daggers and waited for Thrett to address the two kneeling males.

“Dhaynger, what is the name of your _shellan_?”

“She is called Mehlisha.”

The rasp of Thrett’s dagger being unsheathed rose goosebumps on Tara’s flesh. He knelt over Dhayn’s back and carved an ‘ _M’_ into his skin. Dhayn held perfectly still, absorbing the pain and the honour it bestowed on him in silence. Thrett straightened and moved to stand behind Tru.

“Intrudehr, what is the name of your shellan?”

“She is called Tehrrify.”

Tara flinched as her sire set his blade to work on her _hellren’s_ back. Kryhm came forward next and repeated the process, and one after another the other brothers followed, asking the question and carving a letter. When both males had endured their last letter, and their _shellans’_ names arced across their backs in crimson Old English lettering, Thrett and Kryhm moved to the table and took the pitchers of water and poured them into the bowls of salt. In unison they poured the thick, opaque liquid on Tru and Dhayn’s backs. Tara could feel the ripples of how much pain they were in, but they didn’t show it and the brothers growled their approval.

Thrett and Kryhm returned the bowls to the table and opened the lacquer boxes, taking out two pristine pieces of white cloth. Thrett attended to Tru, drying his wounds, then rolling the material up and putting it back inside the box. Kryhm did the same for Dhayn. 

“Rise, brothers,” Thrett said.

Dhayn and Tru stood without aid, exposing their marked backs to those gathered to witness their matings. They were presented with their boxes and approached Tara and Mel to offer their final pledges of strength and loyalty. There was no longer any awareness of pain for either of them, though their skin was far from healed—all Tara could see and feel was pride and love emanating from both of them. She locked eyes with Tru as he kelt and asked her to take him as her own, and her fretting fled as joy bubbled up from deep in her belly.

“Yes. I will.” 

She accepted the proffered box with one hand and grabbed Tru’s chin with the other, holding him still as her mouth descended on his. The lightning bolt of heat that shot into her the moment their lips touched had her moaning into his mouth, but she was too far gone to care about their audience. She could hear the brothers begin to sing in the old language, but none of the words registered with her—she was so caught up in Tru’s touch, in the wet heat of his tongue sweeping over hers. Clapping and a few hoots and whistles shook her out of it and she reluctantly stepped back from her _hellren_.

Tru rose to his feet and pulled her in tight to his side, the heat of his bare skin scorching her arms and seeping through the many layers of her dress.

“When can we leave?” he whispered into her hair before placing a kiss to the top of her head.

“A couple of hours, maybe less if we’re lucky.”

She chuckled at his groan, even though she felt the same urgency he did. Mel’s simple mating ceremony suddenly seemed like a dream. 

 

* * *

 

 

Tru watched Tara with hungry eyes as she made her rounds, saying her thanks and farewells to their friends and family. She looked breathtaking in her mating gown but all he could think about was what hidden underneath all of that gold and red silk. It was a miracle he hadn’t pounced on her the minute the ceremony was over. The pleasure he got from feeding her had tied him over through their mating feast, but his patience was running thin. He needed to claim his _shellan_ in more ways than one with an urgency he had never experienced and the surging lust he could usually keep at bay was threatening to burst out of him at any second. _Think non-sexy thoughts Tru,_ he urged himself. _Checkers, taxes, boxing, kittens, Tara moaning beneath my unrelenting mouth. Dammit! Focus!_ He would not ruin this night for her. They had the rest of their lives to fuck, but only a couple of hours to celebrate their union with everyone they loved. 

Tru was happy for the distraction as Dhayn and Mel approached them. They walked hand in hand with secret smiles on their faces. Tara politely ended her conversation with her aunt Daralis and tucked herself under Tru’s arm to face their friends. The contact with her body tripped him up and she shuddered against him as some of his pent up sexual energy seeped out and took hold of her, awakening her body with renewed need.

“We are taking off,” Dhayn said. 

_Oh, thank the Virgin._

“I think we should too,” Tara said, her voice slightly husky. 

Tru practically purred in satisfaction over her reaction to him. _Mine._

“We’ll see you in a few days,” Mel said, stepping forward to kiss both of Tara’s cheeks.

Tru lifted his free hand and offered them both a wave to stem off any contact.

“Trust me, you don’t want to touch me right now.”

The four of them laughed and the others waved their goodbyes as well. Dhayn and Mel took off toward the front of the house where his Lamborghini was waiting to take them to the cabin they would be staying in for the next few days—not having a place of their own yet to hole up in. Tru had been honoured when Thrett asked him to move into the compound after his initiation, but he was glad Tara had convinced him to keep his place so they had somewhere to escape to on their off days. Speaking of which.

“Let’s go home princess.”

Tara smiled up at him with a twinkle in her eye that took his breath away. He pressed his lips gently to hers and opened his mind to her. _Three, two, one_ … They both dematerialized and travelled the distance to their condo in a matter of seconds, taking form on the balcony overlooking downtown Caldwell. Tru slipped his arms behind her knees and back and swept her up into a cradle position against his chest. Willing the door to open, he carried his _shellan_ across the threshold and closed it behind them. He held her close in silence for a moment before lighting the hundreds of red candles he had scattered over every flat surface of their loft with one burst of mental energy. Tara gasped as the room erupted with warm yellow light. The red rose petal path that led to their massive California king felt like silk beneath his bare feet as he carried her slowly across the space, dragging out the anticipation for them both as they began to relax their mental shields now that they were alone.

“This is beautiful Tru,” Tara said into his neck, nuzzling her nose into the hollow above his collarbone. 

“Not nearly enough for my female.”

Setting her down at the foot of the bed he summoned the rest of his will power to attempt to unfasten her dress without ruining it. Tara giggled and grabbed his hands, placing them on her breasts and urging him to kneed the soft mounds through the soft silk bodice. His erection strained against the thick boxer briefs he wore to hold it down. _It can be mended,_ she suggested with a sly grin. Tru bared his fangs as his control snapped. With a loud rip and the clattering rhythm of a hundred buttons bouncing across the hardwood, Tara’s dress pooled around her feet. Tru growled when he found her bare beneath it, her nipples peaked from his attention and her naked sex on display. His black satin pants and boxers were hastily removed by Tara’s urgent hands and he saw stars when she took hold of his aching cock and used it to pull him closer. 

“Take me,” she demanded, fire in her sapphire gaze. 

Tru was more than happy to oblige, tossing her onto the bed and pouncing on her as the air swooshed out of her lungs. She let out a surprised laugh that was abruptly cut off as Tru positioned the head of his cock at her entrance. She was already slick and ready for him, her inner muscles greedy for the feel of him. Locking eyes with her, he could smell his bonding scent saturating the air around them, mixing with the smooth vanilla lavender scent that was all Tara. He projected his thoughts as he spoke aloud, “ _Mine_.” He thrust forward as far as her sex would allow him and shuddered as she tightened around him. He set a steady pace, holding his orgasm back until he felt the first tremors of Tara’s climax, and then he let go, erupting into her as he brought his fangs down on her throat and struck deep. It was the longest, most intense orgasm Tru had ever had—his sex pumping into her as his body claimed what was now rightfully and lawfully his.

When his sex had finally stilled, Tru reluctantly withdrew from her sex and her vein. He sealed the puncture wounds with a slow lick and collapsed on the bed beside Tara, struggling to catch his breath.

“Now it’s my turn,” Tara growled, bringing Tru’s sensitive shaft to full attention.

Sweet Virgin he loved his female.

 

 

* * *

 

 

**Two nights later…**

 

 

Tara ran her fingers down Tru’s back and over the muscular swell of his tight ass. He was still trying to catch his breath, the rise and fall of his chest finally easing into a normal rhythm. Her own pulse slowed to match his as the aftershocks of her last orgasm ebbed and her body relaxed. Tara propped her head up on one elbow to appreciate the magnificent male laid out before her on the soft white rug. He was the perfect picture of a male in his prime—every muscle honed for battle and _phearsom_ enough to please any female. She stared unabashedly at what was now rightfully hers and hers alone and a thrill went through her as his body responded, hardening under her gaze. Even satiated as she was she wanted to claim that response to her call, to own every inch of his pleasure—but sweet Virgin was he big. An idea had been brewing in the back of her mind for some time now and in that moment, with the flames of the fireplace flickering behind him in a hypnotic dance, she decided to try. Her breath shuddered in and out of her as she worked up the courage to ask what she wanted from him.

“What is it princess?” Tru asked, brushing her hair back behind her ear and placing a kiss on her forehead.

“I have never been able to take all of you,” she said quietly, avoiding his eyes by staring at his chest.

The firelight lit his body perfectly, casting shadows that accentuated his large pecs and each of his perfectly defined abs. She wanted to run her tongue over every inch of him, her sex quickening again even after the mind-blowing orgasms he had just given her.

“I’ve told you before, that doesn’t matter to me. Believe me, I am fully satisfied in every way,” he replied, tilting her chin up to meet her eyes. “You are perfect.”

“I _want_ to take all of you. I want to feel you, _all_ of you, every inch of you, inside of me when you come undone,” Tara continued, emboldened by the hunger stirring to life in those gorgeous gold-rimmed eyes.

“I couldn’t, even if I..”

Tara reached up and placed her fingers to his lips to silence him. Realizing she didn’t need to find the words, she motioned for him to rise up on his knees and she turned to face the opposite direction, backing up until they were flush against each other, his legs bracketing hers. His erection pulsed against her lower back like it had a heart of it’s own and a wave of lust encouraged her further.

She reached back between them and lowered him into place. Clenching her thighs together, she slowly slid his hard shaft over her slick swollen lips. Rocking her hips gently she ran the length of his sex over her opening, continually spurring his attempts to penetrate her. She coated him with the moisture drawn out by the teasing strokes until they were both breathing heavily and he was sliding easily between her thighs.

Bending at the waist Tara reached between her legs and stopped him from claiming her sex, eliciting a growl from her _hellren_ and his hands gripping her hips. She positioned the head of his cock where she knew she could take him, and Tru froze. She pushed slowly backward, relaxing her muscles to let him in where no one had ever been before. She could only take him an inch at a time, pausing frequently to breathe and force herself to relax. The fullness brought her to the edge of pleasure and pain, but she continued to rock into him, taking him deeper with each backward thrust, until finally he was sheathed fully within her. Tru let out a low moan and a thrill of victory shot through her, even as her sex throbbed with the lack of contact, the bundle of nerves at her apex burning with the need to be touched. Like he had read her mind, Tru reach forward to slide two of his fingers deep inside of her while rubbing circles over her clit with his thumb. Tara cried out as lights bloomed in her vision, a climax shattering her and completely robbing her of conscious thought. Tru started to move within her, setting a slow and steady pace as he continued to draw out her pleasure with his skilled fingers. Another climax built with dizzying speed and overtook her. She clamped down on both his fingers and his cock, bringing him over the edge with a shout of his own. He was hard again before he had even fully finished his first climax and he dropped forward, his hands leaving her to catch his weight. He planted his arms on either side of her’s, caging her in as he began to move again in slow deep penetrations, pressing his chest to her back. The dichotomy of feeling so empty and overly full at the same time nearly drove her mad. She writhed under him in frustrated pleasure until finally she brought her own hand to her swollen flesh with a desperate need to climax. Tru stilled and stopped her movement, claiming her hands with his own and pinning them to the soft rug beneath them. Tara cried out in frustration, trying to buck him off, but only succeeding in pulling him in deeper.

“Shhh, princess. I want to try something too,” he whispered into her ear, grazing the lobe with one of his fangs.

Tara froze beneath him, slithering into his mind to see what he planned to do. He was solely focused on her pleasure and wanted to see if amping up his _gift_ would…Tara moaned long and low as the simmering heat between them multiplied. Everywhere they touched came alive with sensation. Like a burner being slowly turned up, the flames of passion she was accustomed to became a blazing inferno, consuming her thoughts and her body until she was nothing but need personified. Tru struck her neck with his lethal fangs and every nerve ending in her body fired off at once—a full body climax that stole her breath, before making her scream out in overwhelming pleasure. Her body went limp but Tru was there to catch her, easing them both down onto their sides on the soft thick-piled rug. She could feel his erection kicking inside of her, spilling his seed until at last he stilled. 

It took a few minutes for her heart to settle into its normal rhythm. Tru spooned her from behind, his big arm tucked around her waist to hold her firmly against him. Her phone went off, vibrating noisily across the glass coffee table and if it wasn’t for the custom pattern of Thrett’s ringtone she would have left it.

Groaning, she rolled away, cursing as the feel of him leaving her body sent another ripple of pleasure through her. She crawled the couple of feet to the table to retrieve her phone and answered it on audio only—no need for her sire to see what they had been up to. 

“Reports of several lessers in the downtown area, I need you two to meet us on the roof of the abandoned warehouse on Seventh in ten minutes,” Thrett barked out the second she accepted the call.

“Yes sir,” Tara answered, jumping to her feet to follow Tru into the main bath, where he had already started the shower.

“See you in ten.” 

Tara ended the call and tossed her phone into the small basket of white hand towels that sat between the sinks of the double vanity.

“Looks like the honeymoon is already over, princess,” Tru said, stepping into the glass enclosure and holding the door open for her.

“Oh hell no, two nights isn’t nearly enough. We are pushing pause. I fully intend to get my fill of you _hellren_ ,” Tara smirked, joining him under the waterfall of steaming water. 

They showered quickly, and reluctantly got dressed in their leathers—the first time they had worn clothes in over forty-eight hours. As she watched Tru holster his black daggers all she could think about was using all of those leather straps in far more inappropriate ways.

“You’re insatiable,” Tru said, smiling deviously as he prowled across the room to help her slide her leather jacket over her own black blades. 

“I have some more ideas I want to try out later,” she purred, slipping a finger under his chest holster and teasing his nipple through the thin cotton of his shirt.

“The mother-fuckers that are standing in the way of me getting you naked are about to meet their maker right quick,” he growled, giving her a hard quick kiss, before taking her hand and leading her out onto the balcony. 

Tara took a deep breath to calm herself enough to dematerialize and had to smile at her situation. Not exactly the picture perfect life that most female’s dream of when they are younglings playing with their dolls, but it was the perfect life for her and she wouldn’t change a thing. Tru reached out with his mind and she welcomed the connection.

_Three. Two. One._

 

**_THE END_ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all of my readers and supporters. Your patience and praise are the only reason this story kept going.  
> Much love,  
> JB


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